THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND 
 
 MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID 
 

IN UGANDA FOR CHRIST 
 
REV. J. S. CALLIS, B.A. 
 
IN UGANDA FOR CHRIST 
 
 THE LIFE STORY OF THE REV. JOHN 
 
 SAMUEL CALLIS B.A., OF THE CHURCH 
 
 MISSIONARY SOCIETY 
 
 By the Rev. 
 R. D. PIERPOINT M.A 
 
 RECTOR OF WEST HALTON 
 
 With a Preface by the Rev. H. S. Fox, M.A,, Honorary Secretary 
 
 of the C.M.S 
 
 WITH PORTRAIT AND 
 ILLUSTRATIONS 
 
 f 
 
 k 
 
 LONDON 
 
 HODDER AND STOUGHTON 
 
 27 PATERNOSTER ROW 
 1898 
 
Butler &• Tanner, The Selwood Printing Works, Frome, and London 
 
*?d>3 
 
 Preface 
 
 I HAVE been honoured by the invitation to prefix 
 a few words to the brief story of a young Mis- 
 sionary. I do so with thankfulness and hope, 
 believing that the simple narrative both illustrates 
 a gracious fact and sets forth a wholesome ex- 
 ample. In my acquaintance with those who have 
 received the Missionary call, I have been struck by 
 the number who come of a godly seed. The old 
 taunt that the children of pious parents turn out 
 ill, is only based on exceptions which secure 
 prominence by their rarity. On the other hand, 
 as it should be, the instincts created by the Spirit 
 through the influences of a holy home are the 
 commonest causes for Missionary ambition. 
 While there is no such thing as hereditary grace, 
 there is a power in parental prayers, and a holy 
 family history which, without the smallest human 
 suggestion, nay, sometimes in most unlikely ways, 
 prepares the soul for God's leadings into the 
 Missionary life. 
 
vi PREFACE 
 
 The unaffected story of John Samuel Callis is 
 not that of a man of exceptional genius or extra- 
 ordinary attainments. He was a fair type of a 
 thoughtful, quiet young Englishman, sincere and 
 pious, consistently living up to his knowledge of 
 God's will. It is this which gives the book its 
 special value. His example is no unattainable 
 ideal, and for that reason may be the better 
 stimulus for many a man to whom it will say, 
 " Go thou and do likewise." The strength of 
 our Lord's story of the Good Samaritan is that 
 it tells of an act of simple charity within the reach 
 of every one — of the same kind is the present 
 memoir. And thus even the early loss of our 
 dear young brother may, in God's way of loving 
 wisdom, become as the corn seed dying unto life, 
 and bearing much fruit in the Eternal Kingdom 
 of our Lord. 
 
 H. E. F. 
 
 March, 1898. 
 
Contents 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Childhood and Early Days i 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 College Life and Preparation for the Ministry . 10 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 The Three Years' Ministry at All Saints', Plum- 
 stead 28 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 The Missionary Call and Dismissal to the Mission 
 
 Field 
 
 41 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 The Voyage to Africa and Stay in Frere Town . 57 
 
 vn 
 
viii CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The Journey to the Front 78 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 Arrival in Uganda and Departure for Toro . .119 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 Journey to Toro 131 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 At Work in Toro 147 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 The Early Home Call 156 
 
Chapter I 
 
 CHILDHOOD AND EARLY DAYS 
 
 " The Lord called Samuel : . . . Samuel did not yet 
 know the Lord, neither was the word of the Lord yet 
 revealed unto him." — I Sam. iii. 4 7. 
 
 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS was born at 43, 
 Berners Street, Ipswich, on Wednesday, 
 March 30th, 1870. He was the third child and 
 eldest son of John and Sarah Callis. His 
 father had been for five years curate of St. 
 Margaret's in that town. The eldest daughter, 
 Margaret Wells, died at Norwich in 1889; and 
 the second, Ellen Mary, was married in 1895 to 
 the Rev. Edward Symonds, vicar of Walton, near 
 Felixstowe. The first lessons for the day (March 
 30th) were 1 Samuel i. and ii. (Old Lectionary). 
 This suggested the name of the son of the 
 prayerful Hannah as an appropriate one. This 
 honoured name was also borne by the esteemed 
 vicar, the Rev. Samuel Garratt by whom the 
 
 I 
 
2 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 infant was baptized on April 30th, when he 
 received the Christian names of John Samuel. A 
 note in the father's diary reads : " The dear little 
 man behaved very well. May he lead the rest 
 of his life according to this beginning." One of 
 the god-parents was the Rev. R. D. Pierpoint, at 
 that time curate of St. Clement and St. Helen's, 
 Ipswich, now rector of West Halton, Lincolnshire, 
 the compiler of this memoir. 
 
 The little Samuel's early life was marked 
 by some delicacy of constitution, but in 
 after years he developed into a strong and 
 healthy man. It was hoped that the climate of 
 that part of the mission field to which he was 
 subsequently directed might prove to be of the 
 very best for him. This was Bishop Tucker's ex- 
 pectation. In a letter written to his father at 
 that time, he says : " I may say that Toro is 
 a wonderfully healthy country, and I shall be 
 greatly surprised to hear of sickness among the 
 missionary party there." But God's " thoughts 
 are not as our thoughts, nor His ways as our 
 ways." 
 
 He had from his very earliest years a very tender 
 conscience, and would never go to sleep without 
 seeking his nurse's (Deborah Farthing) forgive- 
 ness for any disobedience during the day. When 
 
CHILDHOOD AND EARLY DAYS 3 
 
 v-> 
 
 quite a young child he seems to have got into 
 his mind the idea of being a missionary. On 
 one occasion he drew his nurse's attention to a 
 number of cats in the garden grouped together 
 as if they were holding a meeting, and remarked, 
 " I will be good and brave, because I want to be 
 a man and go to the heathen ; I should have 
 to give them meetings." And so it came about, 
 in sober, serious earnest, in the providence of God. 
 
 In the spring of 1873 Mr. Callis, having been 
 elected by the trustees of St. George's Vicarage, 
 Battersea, to succeed the Rev. Burman Cassin, 
 the family removed to London. Here the chil- 
 dren, then five in number, enjoyed good health 
 taking almost daily exercise in the spacious and 
 beautiful park near by. 
 
 After a sojourn at St. George's of little more 
 than two years, on the invitation of the late 
 Bishop of Norwich, the Hon. and Right Rev. John 
 Thomas Pelham, the family again removed, in 
 1875, to Holy Trinity (South) Heigham Rectory, 
 Norwich, a large suburban parish. Here, first 
 under the kindly instruction of his excellent 
 governess, Miss Searle, and afterwards at a pre- 
 paratory school for boys, John passed through the 
 usual elementary course of study before entering 
 the grammar school. 
 
4 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Miss Searle says of him : " He was a delicate 
 child, of a sensitive, highly nervous temperament. 
 He had a great dread of strangers, and it was 
 always very difficult to get him to go into the 
 drawing-room when any visitors were there. He 
 was singularly humble-minded, even when quite 
 young, and always noticed anything in others 
 which seemed indicative of pride. It was a long 
 time before he could be induced to use a capital 
 / when writing of himself, and he would say when 
 corrected, ' It seems so proud to put a capital 
 / for yourself. No ; I don't wish to do it, it is 
 so proud' He was generally obedient, and gave 
 little trouble, but could be very determined when 
 he had made up his mind. I believe God's Holy 
 Spirit was working in him from his earliest infancy. 
 He was always very sorry when he had been 
 naughty, and, although sometimes unwilling to 
 confess at first, I never knew him tell an un- 
 truth. He was quiet, thoughtful, painstaking, and 
 very fond of Bible reading. He always loved to 
 read and talk about the call of Samuel, and often 
 said, ' When God calls me, I will be like Samuel : 
 I will get up and go directly. But how shall 
 I know that it is God calling me ? How shall 
 I be able to tell that it is God's voice ? ' When 
 the great call did come, there was no mistaking 
 
CHILDHOOD AND EARLY DAYS 5 
 
 it ; and, undoubtedly, he did what he promised : 
 he arose and went directly. He was always 
 especially interested in God's plan of redemption, 
 in our Saviour's life, death, and rising again. Al- 
 though very timid in some things, he was always 
 brave and quiet when any real danger was near. 
 Once, when at Cromer, he was caught on a sand- 
 bank by the tide ; but he showed no alarm, saying 
 quietly, ' Oh, we must ask God to save us,' which 
 we did, and then dashed through the water and 
 reached the shore safely." In a letter written to 
 Miss Searle, just before leaving England, he says : 
 " Thank you for all your help and guidance in 
 past years. I probably owe something to your 
 prayers. Your prayers and those of many Chris- 
 tian friends at this time are very precious. " 
 
 But, whilst generally of a grave and thoughtful 
 disposition, he evinced the ordinary fondness for 
 fun and mischief of most boys of his age, even 
 yielding on some few occasions to the tempta- 
 tion to play the truant. From a few words 
 found in his handwriting at this period, he was, 
 however, sensitive to the reproofs of conscience, 
 expressing sorrow that he had not only given 
 pain to his earthly parents, but had grieved his 
 heavenly Father. 
 
 In 1 88 1, John entered as a pupil at the Nor- 
 
6 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 vvich Grammar School, then under the mastership 
 of the Rev. O. W. Tancock. 
 
 Mr. Tancock says of him : " The sum of my 
 recollection is that he was one of those quiet, 
 rather silent boys, of considerable strength of 
 character, who make their mark after school is 
 done with, rather than during their schoolboy 
 days. He held his own well in his Form, win- 
 ning, I believe, a prize now and then. But 
 though he was regular, hard-working, and of good 
 report, he was not notable among his fellows. 
 ... In work and in games there was a steady, 
 serious way of looking at things, and of doing 
 the work of the day or of the term. But 
 there was nothing to mark him as one who 
 cared to lead others, or to strike out a very 
 decided line for himself. He passed into the 
 Headmaster's Form in due time, and did himself 
 credit, but was without enthusiasm for books. . . 
 There was something wanted, as I thought, to 
 awake the character that was in Callis. That 
 awakening of the real man did not come during 
 school life, I feel sure, and it was to come later, 
 when a wider experience of life, and some need- 
 ful searchings of heart had disturbed the self in 
 him and done some work in him. Others, no 
 doubt, can tell how the steady, somewhat silent 
 
CHILDHOOD AND EARLY DAYS 7 
 
 seriousness of character of the boy was directed, 
 ripened, and consecrated into the really earnest, 
 unselfish, and solemn devotion of self and life to 
 the service of the Lord Jesus Christ and the 
 Church in the mission field. The Lord can 
 take, and test, and train, and find useful all 
 natural characteristics so that they work the 
 Father's work to which He sends them." 
 
 Mr. Ernest E. (now Judge) Wild, an old school- 
 fellow, writes : " For many years I had the 
 privilege of intimately knowing J. S. Callis. At 
 Norwich School we were great friends, and that 
 friendship continued at Cambridge, although we 
 were then at different colleges, and, consequently, 
 saw less of each other. Were I asked to describe 
 Callis in a sentence, I should say that he was 
 honourable, vigorous, assiduous. At the school he 
 took an active part in athletics, more particularly 
 excelling at football. ' Rugby ' was then the game 
 and he was hard-working as a * forward,' and 
 sometimes brilliant. He occasionally addressed 
 the Debating Society, and his speeches were al- 
 ways to the point. I remember, too, his acting 
 on Speech Days. As a classic, he was sound ; 
 he did well at divinity and history. All things 
 he did with his might, thereby setting an example, 
 to us all. Boys do not at the time realize directly 
 
8 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 I think, the influence that is exerted over them, for 
 good or ill, by the few among their number who 
 possess strong individualities. But after the lapse 
 of years, when school days are memories, when 
 trivialities are forgotten, one can take a mental 
 review of what has passed, and approximate to a 
 sound judgment of the characters of those with 
 whom one worked and played. Then the ath- 
 letic demigod and the ascetic bookworm are 
 each known to have been insufficient ; while 
 the boy who played his best and worked his 
 best, and both unselfishly, receives his tardy 
 meed of praise. Such an one we learn to rever- 
 ence. From such an one we anticipate a useful 
 life and cosmopolitan sympathies, in whatever 
 sphere he may move. Such an one was Callis. 
 I deem it an honour to be allowed to write 
 these few unworthy lines in tribute to a noble 
 memory." 
 
 John was not successful as a prize-winner, not 
 brilliant, as one of the masters remarked, but 
 a steady worker. On one occasion, however, he 
 carried off the Bishop Pelham's prize for divinity, 
 his papers being, by the testimony of the ex- 
 aminer, very well done. This prize he after- 
 wards found most useful, and greatly valued it. It 
 was a finely bound copy of Bishop Wordsworth's 
 
CHILDHOOD AND EARLY DAYS 9 
 
 Greek Testament. It was during his schoolboy 
 days that he was confirmed, choosing to be pre- 
 pared, with his schoolfellows, by the headmaster. 
 Not being of a demonstrative disposition, there 
 was probably a deeper undercurrent of thought 
 as to the responsibility he was taking upon him- 
 self than appeared upon the surface. The Con- 
 firmation took place in the Cathedral nave, 
 the choir being under repair. The searching, 
 impressive, and fatherly addresses of Bishop 
 Pelham, always so greatly valued throughout his 
 diocese on these occasions of such solemn moment 
 to the candidates, were listened to with marked 
 attention. But the time for manifesting more 
 openly the dedication of the whole being to the 
 Lord had not arrived with him. 
 
Chapter II 
 
 COLLEGE LIFE AND PREPARATION FOR THE 
 
 MINISTRY 
 
 " The Lord came . . . and called as at other times. . . . 
 Then Samuel answered, Speak ; for Thy servant heareth." 
 — i Sam. iii. 10. 
 
 IN 1888, John left school with the Parker Exhi- 
 bition for one proceeding to the University. 
 He entered St. Catharine's College, Cambridge, 
 in October, as " Master's Sizar," through the kind- 
 ness of the Rev. Canon Robinson, the Master ot 
 the College. The first year is usually one in 
 which the character of the student is put to the 
 severest test. The comparative independence, the 
 congenial surroundings, the buoyancy of spirit 
 of early manhood, tend to induce, even those most 
 carefully trained at home, to yield to the attrac- 
 tion of the world and its pleasures in the pursuit 
 of happiness and satisfaction. Though never 
 yielding to its grosser forms of temptation, the 
 
 10 
 
COLLEGE LIFE n 
 
 young freshman was somewhat drawn into the 
 society of those who loved the world and the 
 things of the world. When settling down to 
 the work of preparation for his future life's 
 calling, he for a time passed through greatly 
 troubled waters. 
 
 Writing of the life at Cambridge, he says : 
 " There is up here such a strange jumble of Low 
 Church, Broad Church, and those of more ' ad- 
 vanced 'ideas — the last decidedly predominating — 
 that, together with innumerable heresies and forms 
 of unbelief, they tend to convert what is prima 
 facie a simple and straightforward religion into a 
 most difficult and intricate science." Possessed of 
 an honest mind, he could find no rest of soul in 
 anything short of truth and reality. For a short 
 time sceptical books seemed to attract him. At 
 another time he seemed to think the truth was on 
 the side of Rome and those who have adopted 
 more or less of her sacerdotal and sacramental 
 theories and practices, whilst remaining professedly 
 members of the Church of England. At one time 
 the life and writings of the late Cardinal Newman 
 and the self-sacrificing labours of Father Damien 
 amongst the lepers, seemed to draw him powerfully 
 towards their communion. Here he seemed to 
 think were models for his own life and work. In 
 
12 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 his search for the solid rock of truth, he looked 
 this way and that for guidance, rather, perhaps, 
 to the works of religious men than to the pure 
 word of God. 
 
 He was much exercised at this time on the 
 mysterious subject of the origin of evil — the 
 dealings of God with the finally impenitent — the 
 intermediate state — the latter especially in con- 
 nection with the antagonistic views of the late 
 Dean Goulburn and of Dean Farrar. He seemed 
 to incline to the idea that these should be treated 
 as mere matters of opinion, and not of faith. Scien- 
 tific objections to facts stated in Scripture seem also 
 to have troubled him. Writing of the parties in 
 the Church, he expresses a hope to be able to steer 
 clear, at any rate for the time, of the teaching of any 
 party whatever. In 1890 he heard an address of 
 Rev. J. E. C. Welldon, master of Harrow, a rela- 
 tive of his mother's. He says: " The stillness was 
 quite impressive all the time, and it was just the 
 manly, straightforward sort of address calculated 
 to tell up here." 
 
 The Rev. S. Symonds, of St. Mark's, Newnham, 
 who was then at Ridley Hall, gives an insight 
 into John's first years at Cambridge. He writes : 
 " It was my privilege to see dear Jack very often, 
 it was at the commencement of his second year, 
 
COLLEGE LIFE 13 
 
 and I can well remember the circumstances that 
 had impressed upon him just before the tremen- 
 dous debt we owe to God. Accordingly, I found 
 him seemingly seeking for light and rest, and, 
 for the year that I was with him, he was wander- 
 ing round in his search for satisfaction. His mind 
 was too independent to take everything he was 
 told without inquiring, and consequently he was at 
 one time much impressed by Kingsley's writings, 
 at another by Pusey's, I think. He used to say 
 that, had the representative High Churchmen of 
 the College been men of backbone, he would pro- 
 bably have thrown in his lot with them. He was 
 one who fought his way to truth alone y I should 
 say. . . . He was essentially practical, and 
 mission work which he undertook in Barnwell did 
 a great deal for him. On one occasion he had a 
 C.P.A. meeting in his rooms, addressed by the 
 Rev. J. G. Dixon, of Christ Church, and a meeting 
 was also got up for Douglas Hooper in J. J. 
 Woolsey's rooms, which possibly had its effect 
 upon Jack. I remember going with him to some 
 open-air mission work in St. Matthew's, Barnwell 
 where his vigour in holding forth much impressed 
 me." 
 
 The great turning point of his life, through the 
 gracious influence of the Holy Spirit, appears to 
 
14 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 have been on the occasion of the illness and death 
 of his eldest sister, in the year 1889, to whom, as to 
 the others, he was devotedly attached. " I did not 
 know," he writes, on hearing of the opinions of her 
 medical adviser, "that she had been worse lately, 
 and was terribly surprised to hear of her dangerous 
 condition ; notwithstanding the doctors, I still trust 
 health will return with the advent of warm spring 
 weather. It must be a very anxious time for you 
 and mother, and I have thought very much about 
 you. Surely God will not take away one who is 
 so good, so useful, and so dear to us. A friend of 
 mine has this term undergone a bitter bereavement, 
 but, being a true Christian, he could say, in prayer, 
 i Thy will be done! Would that I could say so 
 now!" In May he was summoned from Cam- 
 bridge to witness a beautiful example, indeed, of 
 cheerful resignation to the will of God, and to mark 
 that heavenly halo which gathers round a youthful 
 Christian's dying bed. Her " perfect peace " and 
 calm joyousness at the prospect of departing to be 
 " with Christ " greatly impressed him. He was at 
 College when the end came, June 4th ; but returned 
 home to follow the dear mortal remains to their last 
 resting place in the Norwich cemetery. Writing 
 in truest Christian sympathy, a dear friend, then 
 rector of Lowestoft, Canon Nash, suggested that 
 
COLLEGE LIFE 15 
 
 the death of the sister might be the means of life to 
 the brother; and so it seemed to be by the grace of 
 God. From that time there was a decided change 
 in the dear brother, a deeper thoughtfulness con- 
 cerning spiritual and eternal things, and a more 
 real and earnest seeking after God. The favourite 
 hymn of the beloved sister well expressed the 
 attitude of his own soul afterwards. It is found in 
 the collection of mission hymns used by the late 
 Rev. John Hall Shaw, whose ministry during a 
 mission in her father's parish in 1884 was greatly 
 blessed to her and very many. 
 
 " From glory unto glory ! our faith hath seen the King, 
 We own His matchless beauty, as adoringly we sing ; 
 But He hath more to show us ! O thought of untold 
 
 bliss ! 
 And we press on exultingly in certain hope of this. 
 * * * * * 
 
 In full and glad surrender we give ourselves to Thee, 
 Thine utterly, and only, and evermore to be ! 
 O Son of God, who lovest us, we will be Thine alone, 
 All we are, and all we have, shall henceforth be Thine 
 own ! " 
 
 From this time whole-hearted consecration to 
 Christ, and the sacrifice of self in His service, be- 
 came grand life-principles with him. On a scrap 
 of paper found in one of his commentaries, he 
 wrote : " God wants our best — our bodies, not our 
 purses. Use me, just as, when, where Thou wilt." 
 
1 6 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 During the vacations, especially his earlier ones, 
 he frequently visited his uncles in the midland 
 counties, and, at one time, became very fond of 
 hunting. Some of the pictures in his room spoke 
 of the sporting tastes of those days. His fear- 
 less determination was evinced on one of his 
 holiday excursions, in accepting a challenge to 
 mount and ride a high-spirited mare. The animal 
 bolted and threw him, he was carried into the 
 house insensible, and narrowly escaped death. 
 
 During the last long vacation in 1890, he spent 
 some weeks at the Charterhouse Mission House 
 in Tabard Street, Southwark. The Rev. P. N. 
 Waggett, leader of the mission at that time, found 
 him a devoted companion and loyal fellow-worker. 
 John writes : " The calm reverence and reality 
 of the congregation drawn from the lowest of 
 Southwark slums was delightful." 
 
 He was admitted to the degree of B.A., June 20, 
 1891, passing satisfactorily in the Theological 
 Special Examination. In a testimonial letter, his 
 College tutor wrote : " As his time of residence 
 advanced, Mr. Callis, too, seemed to advance in 
 seriousness and earnestness of disposition. He 
 would, I believe, perform any duties which he 
 undertook with a conscientious determination to 
 acquit himself to the best of his powers." 
 
COLLEGE LIFE 17 
 
 In the following August his father took John 
 and his eldest sister, with a cousin, for a tour on 
 the Continent. The beauty and grandeur of the 
 scenery with its mountains and lakes were greatly 
 enjoyed by the whole party, and very notably by 
 him who was destined to look upon some of the 
 most magnificent natural scenery of the world in 
 Eastern and Central Africa. 
 
 On this brief tour many cathedrals and churches 
 were visited, and opportunities were thus afforded 
 of observing the system of the Church of Rome in 
 its full development, and in some of her grandest 
 places of worship. It was hoped that this might 
 have a useful effect upon the young candidate for 
 Holy Orders, and so it proved. At first he ap- 
 peared to be much awed on entering these temples 
 so full of pictures, images, crucifixes, and altars, 
 with all their imposing furniture and apparatus of 
 sacrificial service. But, after a time, he became 
 fully impressed with its unspiritual, sensuous, and 
 materialistic character. Everywhere the highly 
 decorated dolls, representing the Virgin Mother of 
 the Lord, were the most attractive objects of the 
 worshipper's adoration. The Lord of life was every- 
 where still an infant in His mother's arms, or upon 
 the Cross in agony, or, as in Strasburg Cathedral, 
 represented as a lifeless corpse lying across the 
 
 2 
 
18 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 knees of His distressed mother. Most thankfully, 
 therefore, was the remark received by the father, 
 when it fell from the son's lips, " These people 
 appear to worship a dead Christ." Henceforth he 
 seemed to have his thoughts most frequently raised 
 to Him u who was dead, but is alive for evermore," 
 and " ever liveth " at God's right hand on the 
 eternal throne. It was to a living, exalted, reign- 
 ing Lord and Saviour he delighted to the last to 
 direct the minds and hearts of all amongst whom 
 he ministered, at home and in the mission field. 
 
 As John was still by a year and a half too 
 young for ordination, the Rev. Prebendary Webb- 
 Peploe, vicar of St. Paul's, Onslow Square, South 
 Kensington, kindly consented to receive him for 
 a year as one of his lay-workers preparing for 
 Holy Orders. The period was one of great 
 spiritual advantage to him. The faithful and 
 instructive ministry of Mr. Webb-Peploe, the 
 companionship of so many like-minded with 
 himself — all united in the many Christian and 
 philanthropic agencies having St. Paul's, Onslow 
 Square, for their centre — developed in him, by 
 the grace of God, those great Christian principles 
 which are implanted by the Holy Spirit in the 
 soul of every true and devoted servant of 
 Christ. In letters written to his father while at 
 
COLLEGE LIFE 19 
 
 Chelsea, he says : " I hope you will remember 
 me in prayer that I may be kept in touch with 
 the Source of power and humility." " I had a long 
 talk with a man at the lodging-house, who is 
 apparently utterly blind to spiritual light, and has 
 never, he affirms, had any desire to live a different 
 life. It is so hard to know how to tackle such 
 men, and I feel so young and inexperienced to 
 attempt it." "I had. to .take our Mission Hall 
 address unexpectedly, quite unprepared, tea-less 
 and tired. The place was quite full, as a special 
 address had been advertised on the Holy Com- 
 munion. I enjoyed a marvellous sense of the 
 presence of power in answer to prayer." In the 
 visitation of the district assigned to him, and 
 very especially in work in the lodging-houses, 
 where he met with many who had started in life 
 with the fairest prospects, but had made shipwreck 
 of character and all they possessed, he sought 
 with intense earnestness to lead the wanderers 
 and prodigals back to the Father from whom they 
 had gone so far and so long astray. There he 
 manifested much of the loving spirit of the Master 
 who came to seek and to save that which was 
 lost. 
 
 The Rev. Prebendary Webb-Peploe writes : 
 " He was a worthy and valuable servant to the 
 
2o JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 great cause, chiefly marked by the determination 
 and zeal which carried him forward bravely 
 through difficulties and temptations." And, again, 
 in a letter of sympathy written to his father after 
 his death : " How blessed to know that his life 
 on earth was one true, faithful, consistent sur- 
 render to his Lord's work of all the powers and 
 wishes that he had ! No ! I may grieve with you 
 and your family, and the one he hoped to call 
 ' wife,' but I may not forget the blessed reward 
 of such a good career as your boy's. We thank 
 God for him, and for his brave career, and rejoice 
 with you that you have such a son in heaven. 
 We valued him highly at St. Paul's, and always 
 look back upon his life among us as one of the 
 most steadfast and useful of any of my young 
 men ! I have prayed for him daily by name 
 ever since he came to me, and I shall feel 
 deeply the pain of leaving his name out of my 
 list. Three of them — Robinson, Mathias, and 
 now your boy — have gone home from the mis- 
 sion field, and we can only bow and say, c Thy 
 will be done.'" 
 
 The Rev. C. E. Barton, missionary in the Punjab, 
 writes to his father thus : " I always thought of 
 your son as of others like Robert Stewart of 
 China, Bishop Hill, Graham Brooke, and Robinson 
 
PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY 21 
 
 of West Africa — the key-note of whose lives 
 seemed to be ■ To me to live is Christ ' — men 
 who lived in the presence of God, and whom He 
 has now called for higher and grander service in 
 the courts above. ... As you are aware, our 
 acquaintance was but a short one. For about six 
 months or so we worked together as lay-workers 
 under Mr. Webb-Peploe — a great teacher — and, 
 afterwards, I met him once at Woolwich, when he 
 was curate there. What impressed me always was 
 his great strength of purpose. Nothing ever seemed 
 to daunt him ; he went straight ahead, and no 
 difficulties to him seemed insuperable. What I 
 remember best is our work together in a lodging- 
 house kitchen in Chelsea. He and I and my 
 great friend Frank Eardley used to go and visit 
 the unhappy inmates of this den on Sunday 
 afternoons. It was your son who originated the 
 idea. We held a short service, and I can re- 
 member the way he used to stand with his back 
 to a wall, and speak to those men as straight 
 as any one could speak. One poor fellow was 
 rescued from a life of drunkenness and sin, and 
 your son got him taken in by the Church Army 
 Labour Home, where I believe he did very well 
 afterwards. Another man, a prize-fighter, was one 
 your son took a great interest in. The man 
 
22 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 was an awful drunkard, but he signed the pledge, 
 and kept it, too, for about two months, but then 
 the drink fiend got the better of him, and he 
 broke out again. We were all very disappointed 
 about it, but none more so than Jack Callis. . . 
 Your son was a diligent reader, and in no sense 
 narrow-minded. His deep love for Christ made 
 him love any one who loved Him. He would 
 have made a splendid missionary, as he had the 
 true apostolic spirit." 
 
 The Rev. Cecil H. Clissold, one of his fellow- 
 workers at South Kensington, writes : " Jack 
 Callis joined the little group of lay-workers in 
 the poor districts of Prebendary Webb-Peploe's 
 neighbourhood. Our duties were not exactly 
 arduous — the mornings being generally given up 
 to reading, the afternoons to visiting — and the 
 evenings to services in the open air and the 
 mission room. The special department that Jack 
 used to lean to was amongst the men. I well 
 remember on Sunday afternoons after Sunday 
 School, some four or five of us would visit a 
 large men's lodging-house, and hold a service in 
 the great kitchen. It was intensely hot from the 
 great coke fires, and being underground hardly 
 ventilated at all. We used to remove our coats 
 and hats, and take the service in our shirt sleeves. 
 
PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY 23 
 
 The singing was led by a cornet, and Jack was 
 usually the speaker. I can see him now with 
 the rough faces around him, reddened in the 
 fire-light, as they listened, almost against their 
 will, to his earnest, forcible words. Now he 
 stretches out his hand to wipe his face, literally 
 steaming with perspiration, owing to the thick 
 close atmosphere, and again he would urge, 
 1 Now, you men, you know you are wrong.' He 
 would appeal to what little remained of their 
 moral feeling and work up from that. Many a 
 quiet talk followed, as he button-holed those whom 
 he detected listening carefully. The regular 
 cadger and hypocrite were not absent. He usually 
 saw through them, but kindness often overruled 
 his better judgment, as he would frequently say 
 afterwards, ' Poor beggar, I feel sure he was lying 
 to me, but it is hard to say No.' This sort of 
 work in Chelsea among the very lowest seemed 
 most congenial to him, and it is worthy of note 
 that, whilst he spoke straight and hit hard, I 
 never remember a serious row ; for, pleading so 
 lovingly with them, they could not quarrel with 
 him. 
 
 " I do not know, but I rather fancy that it was 
 whilst here in Chelsea, he caught his missionary 
 ardour, for well I remember our expeditions 
 
24 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 to Exeter Hall to some great dismissal meetings. 
 But it was amongst the men at the lodging-houses 
 and at the men's services on Sunday evening at the 
 Caroline Place Drill Hall that he did his work 
 when with Prebendary Webb-Peploe. I recollect 
 that his fellow-workers admired him and loved 
 him, although I fancy we did not know half the 
 good he did. He was always so quiet." 
 
 The vacations which brought the brother to the 
 home at Norwich from time to time were looked 
 forward to with very much delight by all there, 
 especially the sisters. Great was the joy and ex- 
 citement when " Johnny " came home from College 
 or his work in London. Many a romp made the 
 walls ring with merry peals of laughter. Pleasant 
 excursions were made upon the river, into the 
 city, the country, and to the seaside. A favourite 
 method of spending a holiday by many in Norfolk 
 is to hire a house-boat and sail and row along 
 the rivers and round the broads of the eastern 
 side of the county. This was also a great delight 
 to John, who sometimes found genial companions 
 for such water trips in his old school-fellows. 
 The experience thus gained, as in the case of 
 Archdeacon Walker of Uganda, no doubt proved 
 of some service to him in after years. Long 
 and deeply interesting conversations were enjoyed 
 
PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY 25 
 
 by father and son after the others had retired 
 to rest ; many questions naturally perplexing to 
 a young and inquiring mind were discussed, it 
 was hoped with advantage to both. The tendency 
 to unsettlement in principles and views which 
 every thoughtful man is sure to experience in 
 the period of student life sometimes caused his 
 parents considerable anxiety ; but their refuge 
 was that which never fails — prayer to Him Whose 
 it is to open the understanding, and to reveal 
 Christ to the soul in all His sufficiency as the 
 Christian's "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, 
 and redemption." Abundant cause was there, in 
 the latter days of his life, to praise God that the 
 years of waiting before Him for His blessing 
 upon their son John Samuel had not been in 
 vain. He was indeed deeply taught of God. 
 
 For the half-year previous to ordination it 
 seemed desirable that there should be some re- 
 tirement from active parish work, and more time 
 given to reading and prayerful preparation for 
 the ministry. It was thought that a change of 
 University for this purpose might be beneficial. 
 Mr. Webb-Peploe agreed that it would be a 
 good thing for him to see Oxford life and men 
 rather than to go back to Cambridge. The Higher 
 Criticism and Ritual questions were in his opinion 
 
26 JOHiN" SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 given greater prominence in Oxford thought. 
 In a letter to his father John thanks him very 
 much for giving him the opportunity of going 
 to Oxford. A correspondence was opened with 
 the highly esteemed principal of Wycliffe Hall, 
 Oxford, the Rev. F. J. Chavasse, and John pro- 
 ceeded to the rooms allotted him there, October 
 14th, 1892. His first impressions shall be given 
 in his own words : " Mr. Chavasse is very delight- 
 ful and sympathetic. After supper in his Lodge 
 last night, he gave a talk in the Chapel on 
 'Times of preparation for appointed work/ and 
 took those of our Lord, St. John the Baptist, and 
 St. Paul, as typifying their use for learning, 
 submission, self-denial, and self-consecration. This 
 morning he had us all individually for arranging 
 work, etc., in his study. The Chapel is a tempo- 
 rary one, and the services are bright and musical. 
 . . . Mr. Chavasse's lectures on sermons and 
 the ministerial life are most helpful." The result 
 was most satisfactory. The tact and judgment of 
 the head of that Theological College, with the 
 kindly and sympathetic nature which have made 
 him so beloved by his pupils, were a most valuable 
 means of preparing the young candidate for the 
 sacred office. The hours of devotion and in- 
 struction in the chapel were particularly valued 
 
PREPARATION FOR THE MINISTRY 27 
 
 by him ; and the Christian fellowship which the 
 family of students at Wycliffe afforded was also 
 much enjoyed and very helpful. The opportunity 
 of seeing things from an Oxford point of view 
 — with its variety of opinions and religious de- 
 velopments — helped to broaden his mind and 
 sympathies. 
 
 During his time there the American evangelist 
 Moody visited the city, and the force of the truth 
 of the gospel, preached, as so often, with the plain, 
 straightforward yet powerful utterances of that de- 
 voted servant of Christ, made an impression upon 
 his hearers which greatly astonished many who 
 were somewhat offended at the intrusion into that 
 community of intellect and learning of a teacher 
 who was " mighty" only "in the Scriptures." 
 
 The time at Wycliffe passed rapidly and happily 
 away, and it left many reminiscences of true 
 friendships formed and enjoyed, and of spiritual 
 privileges highly valued and greatly profited by. 
 Mr. Chavasse in a letter of sympathy written to 
 his father after his death, writes of that period : 
 " We shall miss him greatly at Wycliffe. He left 
 a bright and fragrant memory behind him. His 
 character had been mellowed and strengthened 
 by conflict and difficulty, and we all felt its in- 
 fluence." 
 
Chapter III 
 
 THE THREE YEARS' MINISTRY AT ALL SAINTS' 
 
 PLUMSTEAD 
 
 " We preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord ; and 
 ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." — 2 Cor. iv. 5. 
 " Instant in season, out of season." — 2 Tim. iv. 2. 
 
 AT the Islington Clerical Meeting, in January, 
 1893, the Hon. and Rev. Talbot Rice, then 
 vicar of All Saints', Woolwich, was introduced to 
 Mr. Callis, senr., as one seeking a curate. This led, 
 after some communications between them, to the 
 offer and acceptance of his son as a candidate 
 for the vacancy. The parish being in the diocese 
 of Rochester, the ordination took place in the 
 cathedral of that city on Trinity Sunday, May 
 28th. The Bishop at that time was Dr. Randall 
 Davidson. The next day the newly ordained 
 curate proceeded to the scene of his labours for 
 the next three years. He soon found how wisely 
 all had been ordered for him. For his vicar, to 
 whom he was ever loyal, he had the highest esteem 
 and affection. A new Mission Hall had just been 
 erected in the parish, and here it was part of the 
 
 23 
 
ALL SAINTS' CHURCH, PLUMSTEAD, WOOLWICH 
 
MINISTRY AT ALL SAINTS', PLUMSTEAD 29 
 
 curate's duty to hold a service on Sunday evening. 
 Many were the clubs, unions, associations, and 
 other organizations carried on, with the Mission 
 Hall as a centre, for the benefit of the working 
 population around. Into all these, with the ser- 
 vices of the Church and open-air preaching on 
 Woolwich Common and in the streets, John plunged 
 with all the intense earnestness of his character. 
 Almost all the people in his district were Arsenal 
 workers. But amongst the members of the con- 
 gregation were such men as Rev. Andrew Jukes 
 and Sir S. A. Blackwood. He remarks : " It is 
 rather an ordeal to preach before such deep 
 students of Scripture ; but, as Mr. Chavasse so 
 often reminded us, it is not our message, nor our 
 power, nor are we our own." From notes left, 
 which show the kind of texts usually chosen, it is 
 evident that winning souls to Christ was his one 
 aim and desire. The children of the schools and 
 parish were devoted to Jiim. He knew large 
 numbers by name, and ever greeted them in the 
 street with kindly smile and an affectionate word. 
 His pastoral visitation was a real delight to him. 
 In November, 1893, the Rev. J. W. Morris 
 succeeded Mr. Talbot Rice as vicar of All Saints'. 
 John gives a graphic account of his welcome, and 
 expresses great thankfulness that he had come, 
 
a 
 
 o JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 The following Sunday he expected to have to 
 preach in the morning, address the children in the 
 afternoon, and take the Mission Service at night. 
 " Not so bad," he says, " for a youngster, and no 
 wonder I feel rather like a clock run down." One 
 Sunday he gave a missionary address at the 
 Children's Service in the Garrison Church. He 
 says : " It was rather trying, but it proved a happy 
 time." 
 
 John was ordained to the Priesthood at 
 St. James's, Kidbrook, on Trinity Sunday, May 
 20th, 1894, by the Bishop of Rochester, Dr. Ran- 
 dall Davidson. The preacher on the occasion 
 was the Rev. Canon Streatfield, vicar of Em- 
 manuel Church, Streatham, who took as his text 
 St. John i. 6, 7 : " There was a man sent from God 
 whose name was John," etc. His earnest exhor- 
 tations to the candidates for the sacred office to 
 take John the Baptist as their model in devoted- 
 ness to Christ, in humility and courage in bearing 
 " witness to the Light," were well calculated to 
 make a deep and lasting impression upon his 
 hearers. 
 
 It will be interesting here to give some details 
 of the young curate's work in All Saints', Plum- 
 stead, gathered from letters written by his vicars 
 and other parishioners. 
 
MINISTRY AT ALL SAINTS', PLUMSTEAD 31 
 
 Mr. Talbot Rice writes : " He threw his whole 
 energy from the first into the work, and visited 
 most diligently among the poor, rinding out some 
 in out-of-the-way corners whom we had never 
 discovered. He worked hard with all the efforts 
 that were being made for the good of the parish, 
 but was specially devoted to the working men, 
 for whom he very soon started a Club which 
 went by the name of ' The Magnet,' and was 
 held in the small room which formed part of a 
 new Mission Hall of which he was in charge. 
 . . . He struck me as intensely in earnest and 
 real, whether in work or in prayer, and in all 
 personal intercourse with him. I had several most 
 interesting testimonials, after I left, from residents 
 in Plumstead, of the influence he had, and of the 
 way he impressed them. He was most unselfish, 
 thoughtless almost about himself, if only he might 
 do more good. . . . One of my regrets at 
 leaving the parish was leaving him. We only 
 had three months' actual work together, but one 
 felt one had in him a real man of God, whose 
 whole soul was set on winning sinners to Christ 
 and doing well his Master's work — to work with 
 whom was a real privilege. He once told me 
 what had made him deeply enthusiastic for the 
 gospel of Christ. Standing very late one night 
 
32 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 in London outside a public-house, watching the 
 men, and seeing the awful effect of sin on 
 them, he felt it was possible to hope somehow 
 something might save them. He must find the 
 power that could and would, and that he felt 
 was in the gospel of God's grace and love in 
 Christ Jesus. One feature of his character was 
 a wholesome contempt for public opinion unless 
 backed by sound principle. On one occasion he 
 deliberately walked round the ' quad ' of his own 
 college with one who was very unpopular then, 
 on purpose to help him." 
 
 Mr. Morris's testimony is to the same effect. 
 He writes : "His devotion to work and absorption 
 in it was quite remarkable in one so young." 
 In regard to his ministry among working men : 
 " It was his wont not only to visit them regularly, 
 but to follow up weak cases with the most 
 untiring perseverance. He would see men late 
 at night, and would stay with them by the hour, 
 persuading them to see that anything short of 
 a Christian life must be in the long run a life 
 of failure. In temperance work he was a power. 
 He worked, however, on his own lines ; he scarcely 
 ever made a temperance speech, or magnified the 
 importance of the pledge ; but he showed the 
 victims of intemperance that no spiritual progress 
 
MINISTRY AT ALL SAINTS', PLUMSTEAD 33 
 
 could be expected unless the obstacle of drink 
 was put away. Often he would go into the public- 
 houses at night, and take men away with him 
 to their homes, reasoning with and comforting 
 them. Seeing, moreover, that pleasures of an 
 innocent nature should be provided as an anti- 
 dote to the ' public,' he begged to be allowed 
 to start a parochial Men's Club. At first no 
 place could be found, but a small room at the 
 back of our Mission Hall was finally fixed upon, 
 and this has ever since been devoted to the men. 
 I hope soon to procure larger and more suitable 
 premises, for many reasons, but, first of all, to 
 perpetuate our gratitude to the founder of this 
 parochial work. ... A serious outbreak of 
 typhoid fever in 1895 was the means, under God, 
 as far as one can see, of causing Callis to make 
 his mark in the parish. His visiting then was 
 splendid, his patience beautiful. Many a hard 
 heart was at this time softened, and not a few 
 backsliders regained. All parishes have their 
 peculiar difficulties, and one of ours has been the 
 popularity of being called undenominational by 
 many of our earnest people. This Callis set his 
 face against resolutely, as he strongly believed the 
 Church of England provided the fullest and best 
 teaching. I sometimes used to fear that his strong 
 
 3 
 
34 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 teaching on this matter might upset some of our 
 poor folk, and defeat the object he had in view ; 
 but, generally, my fears were groundless. . . . 
 He was, however, emphatically an evangelist. 
 His preaching was not at all eloquent, but his 
 intense earnestness seldom failed to impress. 
 Though so ready to try and cheer others, he was 
 frequently subject to moods of depression, because 
 the burden of souls was by him so keenly felt. 
 It was very difficult to 'get him away from his 
 work ; and to social life here, in the ordinary sense, 
 he was a stranger. He seemed to be always 
 feeling that there was never time enough to reach 
 the people, and so was tremendously active even 
 to the sacrifice of health. Prayer to him was 
 a glorious reality, and his words, to my mind, 
 were never so forcible or expressive of his true 
 character as those uttered on his knees. Open- 
 air services largely occupied his attention during 
 the summer and autumn months. His open-air 
 preaching was much blessed, but, perhaps, chiefly 
 in stirring up others to come forward in this 
 direction. One young fellow in another parish, 
 now in Orders, was singularly helped by the 
 courage and straightness of Callis's open-air 
 preaching." 
 
 Elizabeth Farrow, the Bible-woman, alluded to 
 
MINISTRY AT ALL SAINTS', PLUMSTEAD 35 
 
 by one of the former vicars as the " one bright 
 spot " in the parish, writes how impressed she 
 was from the time of his first coming to All Saints' 
 with his spirituality of mind, his love of prayer 
 and felt need of it. Whenever a case in the 
 parish had been talked over between them, the 
 end would almost always be, " Let us have some 
 prayer about it — shall we ? " She speaks most 
 warmly of his ministrations during the typhoid 
 epidemic, and how, when he left for a few days 
 to go home during the time, he not only wrote, 
 inquiring after many particular cases by name, 
 but added, " I came away on purpose to have 
 more time with God in prayer for them." 
 
 His landlady, Mrs. Clarke, bears significant 
 testimony to his remarkable self-sacrifice and self- 
 denial. Often and often he would give what was 
 prepared for his own meals to the sick, and take 
 it himself to them at all hours of the night, and 
 to those sitting up with the sick likewise. In fact, 
 she says that he was more with his people than in 
 his own rooms, always patiently caring for their 
 troubles, however little, and doing what he could 
 to help them. 
 
 The schoolmistress, Miss Cree, writes of his 
 exceeding love for children. It was always his 
 great delight to be with them, and to observe 
 
36 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 them both at their work and play. The affection 
 was, as it generally is, mutual. The last visit 
 to the schools will never be forgotten. The 
 girls were repeating Psalm cxxi., and he wrote 
 afterwards : " How delightful it was to take it 
 as a last remembrance of the children ! " He 
 asked the children for their prayers. This re- 
 quest was not thrown away. Some days after, a 
 little fellow about six years of age, when repeating 
 his ordinary evening prayer, involuntarily added, 
 " and please keep Mr. Callis's ship off the rocks." 
 Before the sad news of his death arrived, they 
 had readily brought their pence (in response to 
 an appeal from him), to buy Scripture pictures 
 for the children in Toro. She concludes : " I can 
 only add from the teachers that we thank God 
 He allowed us to know him." 
 
 A fellow-worker with our dear brother during 
 the typhoid epidemic (Mrs. Griffiths) writes : 
 " Never shall I forget that dear Mr. Callis. He 
 worked so hard with his much-loved people that 
 once I was really afraid for him because he saw 
 no danger. One case was that of a poor woman 
 and her two little children, who were smitten 
 down. When I arrived, he was trying to wash 
 the poor dear children, although (as he said) he 
 did not know how. This was just like him. He 
 
MINISTRY AT ALL SAINTS', PLUMSTEAD 37 
 
 would see into anything that he thought would 
 help the poor people, and thus won many to the 
 Mission Hall. His love for them was a real love, 
 deep and true, pointing them to the Saviour. In 
 that same room, when that mother and children 
 had been removed to the hospital, he began to 
 work again, taking down the bed where the fever- 
 smitten ones had lain, and carrying it downstairs. 
 Then he began to clean the room. On another 
 occasion there was a man nearly out of his mind. 
 Mr. Callis stayed with him alone, and never left 
 his bed until some one came and took his place. 
 He was never weary in well-doing. He was 
 also a loving friend of the poor drunkard, and 
 would link his arm in his and take him home, 
 and give him no rest, but go to his home time 
 after time until he got him to the Mission Hall. 
 The little children loved him very much. You 
 would see them take his hand, and sometimes 
 quite a little group would be gathered round 
 him." 
 
 Mr. Kemp writes to Dr. Maxwell : " Mr. Callis's 
 preaching was most definitely Christ crucified and 
 risen again. There were two hymns he was 
 very fond of in open-air services — ' When I 
 survey ' and ' Just as I am.' He used often to 
 g'wQ out a verse or a line, and then speak on it ; 
 
38 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 and so, all through the hymns, pleaded strongly 
 with souls. At the after meetings on Sunday 
 nights he would often stand with his eyes shut 
 for some time while he was speaking. Some of 
 his favourite verses were, 'Thou wilt keep him 
 in perfect peace/ etc., and ' Except the Lord 
 build the house/ etc. He was always ready to 
 help and sympathize, and his hearty hand- 
 shake was like his speaking. His death has 
 been the call to at least one to go forward to 
 the work." 
 
 At one time occupying two bright little rooms 
 in a quiet road, he thought them too luxurious 
 for a shepherd of the flock, so many of whom 
 were in such far humbler circumstances, and 
 having to endure the hardships of poverty ! He 
 accordingly changed his lodgings for rooms more 
 in the midst of the poorer people of the parish. 
 His health showing signs of giving way, he was 
 persuaded to return to his old quarters on higher 
 ground and in a purer atmosphere. It was 
 urged upon him that attention to health was an 
 important duty on the part of those who are 
 called to minister to others ; that he should try 
 and carry into the homes of poverty and the 
 sick chambers as much brightness as possible 
 even in his personal appearance. To neglect 
 
MINISTRY AT ALL SAINTS', PLUMSTEAD 39 
 
 health in work for God may be a temptation 
 of the great adversary, aiming thereby at the 
 laying aside of a disturber of his kingdom and an 
 earnest worker for Christ. 
 
 The golden opportunities of the metropolis for 
 sharing in great philanthropic and missionary 
 enterprises were much valued and gladly em- 
 braced. At the same time he could not help 
 expressing a wholesome fear lest his life should 
 degenerate into a rush, with little power or 
 comfort. He mentions at this time a visit of 
 Dr. Lankester, C.M.S. physician, to the Monthly 
 Gleaners' Meeting, and was much struck with a 
 remark he made : " My Christian friends think 
 me a fool for giving up my practice, while my 
 unbelieving acquaintances all say that it is my 
 plain duty, if my religion is real." All such 
 episodes clearly told upon his mind in relation 
 to his future. About this time he wrote a very 
 touching letter to his father, expressing his fervent 
 gratitude for all his great kindness and self-denial 
 on his behalf. He adds : " I wish the son over 
 whom you have spent so much were worthy of 
 it," and then he adds solemnly : " We all need 
 a living faith in the Holy Ghost and in God's 
 power to keep. ... I preached with a self- 
 accusing conscience on God's Will 'our sanctifi- 
 
4 o JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 cation ' last Sunday morning. I long for a 
 permanent experience of a life of holiness." 
 The former movement of his mind towards the 
 foreign mission field now became stronger. Some- 
 times old difficulties and perplexing questions 
 cropped up again, which were discussed with his 
 kind vicars, ever full of sympathy towards their 
 ardent fellow-helper. 
 
Chapter IV 
 
 THE MISSIONARY CALL AND DISMISSAL TO THE 
 
 MISSION FIELD 
 
 " Recommended to the grace of God for the work." — Acts 
 xiv. 26. 
 
 IT was not until he had been nearly three 
 years at his curacy at Woolwich, that John 
 finally decided to offer himself to the Church 
 Missionary Society for the Uganda Mission. After 
 talking over with his vicar on several occasions 
 the question of the duty of every young man 
 to ascertain whether he were not called to the 
 foreign field, he went to the Society's house and 
 made the offer, saying that he might be rightly 
 charged with a want of sincerity if he continued 
 only to talk about the work. 
 
 One who had proved himself so devoted to 
 the service of Christ was readily accepted by 
 the Committee, and commended to the Lord in 
 prayer, led by one present (the Rev. F. Storer 
 Clark) who had known him from his earliest 
 days. He expresses in a letter at this time his 
 
 41 
 
42 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 delight at the thought of being supported by- 
 Norwich Gleaners. 
 
 In the month of March of that year, 1896, a 
 deep sorrow had befallen the family. The 
 youngest daughter, Monica Evelyn, a bright and 
 affectionate girl of sixteen, died, after a few days' 
 illness, at school at Eastbourne. The brother 
 went down from London on the receipt of the 
 news of her serious illness, but was too late, as 
 were her parents, to see her before she had 
 been called away. Her father was from home 
 in Northamptonshire at the time, attending his 
 own mother's funeral. 
 
 As the beautiful, lifeless form had to be re- 
 moved as soon as possible, John travelled up 
 to London that night, and on to Norwich by 
 the first morning train, there to prepare for the 
 reception in the shadowed home. Again and 
 again did he steal into the drawing-room of 
 the old home, where it lay enclosed in the 
 oaken casket, covered with wreaths of fresh 
 spring flowers, but the thoughts, resolutions, and 
 prayers of the devoted brother in that silent 
 presence are known only to God. The sorrow 
 was deep indeed. John was often noticed, after 
 his return to Woolwich, even in church, to be 
 overwhelmed with grief. 
 
THE MISSIONARY CALL 43 
 
 Two days after the sister's funeral, the grand- 
 mother on the maternal side was also called away, 
 at the ripe age of ninety-seven. Thus from 
 the family circle three were gone in ten days. 
 
 The decision for the mission field having been 
 made, he wrote to his mother some weeks after- 
 wards : — 
 
 " Your letter has just come, also a very 
 kind one from Mr. Wilkinson (C.M.S. Secretary) 
 by the same post. David's words, 1 Chron. 
 xxix. 14, 15, brought home to me the other 
 day the privilege of being allowed to give to 
 God. He will, I am sure, heal the very bitter 
 smart of parting from one another. Darling 
 Monica's early home-call emphasized the fact 
 that we are only strangers and pilgrims here, 
 and that true lasting fellowship with one another 
 belongs to the future." The words of the passage 
 referred to are deeply impressive, almost pro- 
 phetic, to those he has left to mourn his loss. 
 " Who am I, and what is my people, that 
 we should be able to offer so willingly after 
 this sort ? for all things come of Thee, and 
 of Thine own have we given Thee. For we 
 are strangers before Thee, and sojourners, as 
 were all our fathers : our days on earth are as 
 a shadow, and there is none abiding." 
 
44 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 The May Meetings, which proved to be the 
 last he attended, were, this year, of very special 
 interest to him. Mr. G. L. Pilkington — now, 
 alas ! also fallen in the field — and the Rev. G. K. 
 Baskerville both gave a glowing account of 
 Uganda and its people, and the blessing which 
 was attending the work there. John was 
 much drawn to both these devoted missionaries. 
 Mr. Pilkington remarked to him that, so great 
 was the interest of the missionary's life in 
 Uganda, if he went out, he would never wish 
 to retire from it. This, no doubt, influenced 
 him much in deciding to join the mission in 
 that fair and promising field. From all ac- 
 counts it seemed, moreover, to be just the 
 climate to suit his constitution, and to give him 
 the prospect of a long and useful life in God's 
 service in Central Africa. The offer to the C.M.S. 
 was made in June, and, on acceptance, he found 
 that he must be prepared to sail with the next 
 party for Uganda in the following September. 
 
 The dismissal of the Uganda party of 1896 
 took place July 23rd, at the lower room of Exeter 
 Hall. The Rev. H. E. Fox introduced the 
 missionaries, who were seated on the platform, 
 by name, adding a few particulars about each. 
 Coming to J. S. Callis, he spoke of him as " a 
 
DISMISSAL TO THE MISSION FIELD 45 
 
 Cambridge man with an Oxford polish," because 
 of his having gone, after taking his degree at Cam- 
 bridge, to Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, for special prepar- 
 ation for Holy Orders. Several of the outgoing 
 missionaries addressed the meeting. Mr. Pilking- 
 ton's words will now have a special interest, as 
 his career of noble service has so suddenly closed. 
 " He hoped," he said, " before he saw their faces 
 again, to be present at another dismissal — a dis- 
 missal in Uganda of missionaries from the Wa- 
 ganda to the nations round them and to those 
 on the coast. When this came about, there 
 would be, not merely the moral effect of the 
 addition of new workers, but the testimony of a 
 new nation, African and not English, from the 
 interior and not from beyond the sea. Then 
 how grand it would be if they could advance 
 down the Nile Valley. The way was already or 
 would be open as far as Wadelai. If you want 
 to evangelize the Soudan," he cried, "reinforce 
 Uganda." To this magnificent prospect he added 
 an appeal for prayer, especially for the native 
 Church. " Every face here," he said, " means a 
 heart, which means prayer." Then followed the 
 committee's instructions to the missionaries. They 
 were of an unusually solemn and impressive 
 character, the keynote being given in the open- 
 
46 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 ing words — death before life, humiliation before 
 victory, the cross before the crown ; " Except 
 a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it 
 abideth alone ; but if it die, it bringeth forth 
 much fruit." They were reminded that in 
 West Africa fifty-three missionaries, men and 
 women, laid down their lives for Christ in the 
 first twenty years. So, in East Africa, fifty-two 
 years have elapsed since Johann Ludwig Krapf, 
 the very first missionary in the land to which 
 they were going, after laying the frail body of 
 his young wife in her grave on the mainland 
 opposite Mombasa, wrote home the memorable 
 words : " As the victories of the Church are always 
 gained by stepping over the graves of her mem- 
 bers, you may be sure that you are called to the 
 evangelization of East Africa." Again, return- 
 ing to his work after his first visit home, he wrote : 
 " Our God bids us build a cemetery before we 
 build a church. The resurrection of East Africa 
 must be effected by our destruction. But the 
 chain of missions across the continent will yet 
 be completed when the Lord's hour is come." 
 
 The missionaries were urged to go forward to 
 their work, encouraged by the remembrance of 
 the great things God had done for the mission 
 before in such a spirit, and which had cost so 
 
DISMISSAL TO THE MISSION FIELD 47 
 
 many precious lives since Krapfs time. They 
 must ever let their message be the message of 
 the cross, and never be ashamed to confess and 
 preach Christ crucified. They must be prepared 
 for disappointments, for the death of many san- 
 guine anticipations and even reasonable hopes. 
 Not only in the work of Christ, not only in the 
 work of His servants, but in the hearts and lives 
 of His servants themselves, death must precede 
 life. If faithful to Christ, they were further re- 
 minded of the promise which they could claim for 
 themselves : " When Christ, who is our life, shall 
 be manifested, then shall ye also with Him be 
 manifested in glory." In conclusion, referring to 
 the special cross some of them might have to 
 bear in separation from those most dear to them, 
 they were urged to carry it bravely and resolutely 
 for Christ's sake, and in His strength — that Divine 
 strength is made perfect in weakness — " He will 
 not fail you, and He will not fail to recompense 
 you." 
 
 The sight of that platform filled with those 
 who had offered themselves for the cause of 
 Christ in East Africa, and the deep solemnity 
 which accompanied the proceedings on the oc- 
 casion, could not but be deeply affecting to many, 
 especially to those who were parting with those 
 
48 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 so dear to them. Two, at least, upon that "altar" 
 were going out, soon to be called to a higher 
 service, but never to see their native land again 
 — Pilkington and Callis. The latter's father, with 
 whom at the time there was something of a pre- 
 sentiment that so it might be with him, on 
 reaching home wrote the following lines : — 
 
 REINFORCEMENTS FOR UGANDA. 
 In Memoriam. July 23rd, 1896. Exeter Hall. 
 
 Showers of blessing have fallen of late 
 On Uganda's fertile soil ; 
 
 White is that field, 
 
 Abundant the yield, 
 The fruit of past labourers' toil. 
 
 The names of the sowers, whose work is done, 
 Called home to receive their hire, 
 
 With fragrance fill 
 
 The whole Church still, 
 And with zeal many hearts inspire. 
 
 These have heard the call to that harvest field 
 To be reapers for the Lord — 
 
 A Sacrifice 
 
 Bought with a price, 
 For the cause of His Holy Word. 
 
 They have counted the cost of severed ties 
 From home and from native land, 
 
 And ready now 
 
 For altar or plough, 
 In the presence of God they stand. 
 
DISMISSAL TO THE MISSION FIELD 49 
 
 O Lord of the harvest, be with them all, 
 Give Thy cause in their hands success, 
 
 That we and they 
 
 At close of day 
 Thy Holy Name may bless. 
 
 Thy Grace sufficient be their supply, 
 Thy Love their sustaining power ; 
 
 Their eye of faith 
 
 In life or death 
 See Thee present every hour. 
 
 The call comes still 
 From that distant land. 
 Does it not come to thee ? 
 
 Who will say "No"? 
 
 Who, "I will go"? 
 " Lord, if Thou wilt, send me ! " 
 
 John was now busy in making the needful pre- 
 paration for the long journey. Having concluded 
 his work at All Saints', Woolwich, in August he 
 joined his family at Felixstowe for a few weeks' 
 rest and change. From this place he wrote to 
 the compiler of this memoir, in reply to a letter 
 expressing prayerful good wishes for him in his 
 future work : " Prayer and Christian sympathy are 
 the only things that seem valuable at this time. 
 . . . Thank you much for the prayers which 
 I know you have offered as my godfather. It 
 was not until 1889, when an undergraduate, that 
 it pleased the Lord to convert me. I owe so 
 much, under God, to the prayers of my parents 
 
 4 
 
 / 
 
50 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 and, I feel, of yourself also, during the years 
 when I cared for none of these things." 
 
 At Felixstowe, as elsewhere, he found oppor- 
 tunities of doing something for the great cause 
 to which he had now devoted his life. Children's 
 services were being conducted upon the beach, 
 and he was asked to take part in them. On one 
 occasion, with a large map of Africa hung upon 
 poles on the sand, and with a few pictures and 
 curios, he gave an account of the people and 
 customs of the country to which he was going, 
 and was listened to with marked attention by his 
 youthful hearers. 
 
 He also preached in his brother-in-law's church 
 at Walton, and spoke at a missionary meeting 
 held in the Vicarage garden. The meeting was 
 a somewhat remarkable one. Other speakers 
 were Dr. Harford Battersby, from West Africa ; 
 the Rev. P. G. Wood, formerly curate of Holy 
 Trinity, Norwich, and afterwards missionary in 
 Cairo ; and the Rev. W. H. M. Aitken, who said 
 that he wanted one letter to be a missionary — 
 he was only a " missioner" but he had been privi- 
 leged, by his parochial mission work at home, to 
 be the means of influencing many to give them- 
 selves to the work in the foreign mission field. 
 
 In July John went with his brother-in-law 
 
DISMISSAL TO THE MISSION FIFLD 51 
 
 to the Keswick Convention. He had been 
 on a former occasion with his vicar, Mr. Rice, 
 and had found it a time of refreshing. Of the 
 last visit the Rev. E. Symonds writes : " He was 
 not by any means one of those who thought that 
 the attendance at a convention was a sine quel 
 non to a healthy spiritual state. In fact, his 
 nature inclined him to the opposite view — that a 
 man learned more by individual dealing and 
 communion with God alone than by attending 
 large gatherings of the convention type. All 
 the more noticeable that he should have been 
 found at Keswick. When there, it was by no 
 means his habit to attend one meeting after 
 another in the course of the day, but rather to 
 be content with two or three, and to spend the 
 time between in quiet thought over what he had 
 heard, and in quiet enjoyment of the beautiful 
 scenery which gives the charm to Keswick. I 
 often recall his words, ' There stand the moun- 
 tains ' — he meaning to imply that, in spite of all 
 men might think and say about Divine truth, it 
 still existed, and was, in fact, as immovable as 
 Skiddaw above us. Our talk ended with the 
 subject of the glory of the Lamb, as recorded in 
 the Book of Revelation (chap. v.). He had lately 
 been studying Wordsworth's Lectures on the 
 
52 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Apocalypse, and was very full of the subject. I 
 little thought, when a month later he preached 
 for the first and last time in my church, and 
 chose, at my request (made whilst on Derwent- 
 water together), Revelation v. 6 as his text, that 
 he himself would so soon be singing the new 
 song. But God has so willed it." 
 
 At the end of August the family returned to 
 Norwich. On the 30th John preached farewell 
 sermons in his father's church of Holy Trinity 
 (South Heigham). He addressed the children in 
 the afternoon from St. John vi. 9, " What a lad 
 can do." In the evening there was a large congre- 
 gation, to hear the last sermon of the young 
 missionary before his departure from home. The 
 text chosen seems now prophetic. It was St. John 
 xii. 24, " Except a corn of wheat fall into the 
 ground and die, it abideth alone ; but if it die, it 
 bringeth forth much fruit." With intense earnest- 
 ness, as was his wont, the preacher dwelt upon 
 the importance of death to the world and sin in 
 those who would give themselves to Christ, and 
 be used by Him in His service. Such is the 
 condition of great fruitfulness unto God. Those 
 who would bring forth much fruit must be pre- 
 pared to die, as the Lord Himself was. 
 
 An after-meeting was held, to which nearly 
 
DISMISSAL TO THE MISSION FIELD 53 
 
 all stayed. The venerable Canon Patteson, who 
 had given a daughter to the mission-field in China, 
 also early called home, concluded the solemn ser- 
 vice with a fervent commendatory prayer and 
 pronounced the Benediction. 
 
 The parishioners took a deep interest in one 
 whom they had known from his early days going 
 from their pastor's home into the great mission- 
 field of Central Africa, and constantly made kind 
 inquiry as to his welfare to the end of his brief 
 missionary career. 
 
 Thus the last Sunday in England ended. He 
 went up to London on the following Tuesday to 
 make final preparations for the journey, and to 
 take leave of his friends at Woolwich. On the 
 evening of September 1st, he was warmly wel- 
 comed at a large gathering for tea in the Mission 
 Hall. Later in the evening he gave some 
 account of the missionary work in Eastern Africa, 
 to enable his old friends the better to follow him 
 in thought to the sphere of labour which had 
 opened to him, asking the prayers of all for a 
 safe journey and a blessing on the work in 
 Uganda. 
 
 Then followed an interesting item in the pro- 
 ceedings. The Rev. J. W. Morris (the vicar) 
 had been asked to present to him an illuminated 
 
54 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 address from the parishioners and members of 
 the congregation, together with a purse of £40. 
 He spoke in kindly and grateful terms of the 
 association of the departing missionary in the 
 work of the Church and parish since the time he 
 succeeded the Rev. the Hon. W. Talbot Rice as 
 vicar, and expressed the fervent wish of all that 
 he might be greatly blessed in his future work. 
 The gift was received by John with warm ex- 
 pressions of thanks to the vicar, and to all with 
 whom he had been so happily associated in the 
 Lord's work during the three years of his curacy 
 amongst them. 
 
 The address was as follows : — 
 
 " To the Reverend John Samuel Callis, B.A. 
 
 " We whose names appear below beg your acceptance 
 of the accompanying purse of money, as a token of our 
 love and esteem, on the occasion of your leaving the parish 
 of All Saints', Plumstead, wherein you have faithfully 
 laboured for the last three years. 
 
 " During that time you have indeed made your influence 
 felt, and your example of self-denial, together with your 
 whole-hearted Christian zeal, will long be remembered. 
 Unwillingly we say good-bye, but earnestly do we wish you 
 joy and blessing in your new sphere of work, and we will 
 not forget to pray that you may be the means of winning 
 souls to Christ in that part of the foreign Mission field 
 to which you have been called by your Heavenly Father. 
 
 "All Saints 5 ,' 5 
 
 " Septe7nber i 1896. 5 ' 
 
 {Here folloiv the names.) 
 
DISMISSAL TO THE MISSION FIELD 55 
 
 Amongst those present on this deeply interest- 
 ing occasion was the Rev. Andrew Jukes, author 
 of several valuable theological works. Mr. Jukes' 
 friendship and fatherly counsel had been very 
 highly esteemed by the young curate during his 
 ministry in the parish, and had been a very 
 great help to him. The venerable theologian 
 spoke of him in the most affectionate terms. Dr. 
 Maxwell, another warm friend of John's, and for- 
 merly Medical Missionary in Kashmir, was also 
 present, and expressed the same kindly feeling 
 towards him and admiration of his course in the 
 curacy of the parish. 
 
 On the following evening, his last in England, 
 he preached at All Saints' Church, in which a 
 large congregation assembled to hear his fare- 
 well sermon. He spoke most earnestly upon the 
 words, " Father, glorify Thy name " (St. John xii. 
 28), reminding his hearers that it was the will of 
 the Father that His Name should be glorified in 
 the death of the Son, and again dwelling much 
 upon the 24th verse, — the text of his sermon at 
 Norwich, — " Except a corn of wheat," etc. 
 
 September 3rd, the day of departure, had at 
 length arrived. One more brief visit was paid 
 to the schools to say a last good-bye to the 
 teachers and the dear children, who repeated to 
 
56 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 him Psalm cxxi., " I will lift up mine eyes unto 
 the hills," etc. He took leave of his mother and 
 sister at the Liverpool Street Station Terminus, his 
 
 father and Miss B going down to the steamer 
 
 at Tilbury with him. With evident deep feeling, 
 but with calm self-possession, he took a last leave 
 of his father and the one whom he looked forward 
 so hopefully to welcome to Africa, there to share 
 his home and work. Mounting the highest deck, 
 John with other missionary brethren and sisters 
 stood waving their handkerchiefs to those on the 
 boat as it receded towards the landing-place. 
 So full of bright hope did the young missionary 
 take his departure for his distant post of labour, 
 and so full of hope were those most dear to him on 
 earth that he would be spared many years to do, 
 it might be, a great work for the Lord of the har- 
 vest in that most promising field, that they little 
 thought it would be permitted them to see his 
 face no more in this life. 
 
Chapter V 
 
 THE VOYAGE TO AFRICA AND STAY IN FRERE 
 
 TOWN 
 
 " Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be 
 perfect and entire, wanting nothing."— fames i. 4. 
 
 / "T" V HUS, as we have said — full of bright hope 
 and happy resolve — John Samuel Callis set 
 sail for his far-off missionary post in the Dark 
 Continent. There came from him, a few hours 
 after his start, a final loving message to his father : 
 " Thank you for all you have done in helping 
 me to come abroad. You will, I'm sure, never 
 regret it, nor my dearest mother. At present I 
 don't realize what leaving England means, but it 
 will all be paid back tenfold, whatever it costs. 
 I trust dear mother will be much strengthened 
 and blessed at this time." Very interesting de- 
 tails of the voyage reached England, as there 
 was opportunity of writing. The passengers on 
 board ship included a small party of " fellow- 
 workers unto the kingdom of God " — those men- 
 
 57 
 
58 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 tioned in the preceding chapter, Miss Taylor, 
 Miss Timpson, and others. He was thus able to 
 enjoy much sweet fellowship with friends in 
 Christ like-minded with himself. The sights and 
 sounds of a long sea voyage, new to his experi- 
 ence, were full of interest to him. He writes 
 enthusiastically of the deep blue waters of the 
 Mediterranean crested with snow-white foam, of 
 the reading on deck at night by the electric light 
 to the sound of the sea all around, amidst the re- 
 volving lights of lighthouses peering through the 
 dark. A considerable portion of his time was 
 taken up with learning the language of Uganda 
 from Mr. Baskerville, of whom he speaks in the 
 warmest terms as a " dear, whole-hearted, affection- 
 ate fellow, full of faith, and therefore full of zeal 
 and of the Holy Spirit," and as " one who knows 
 much of the needs of Africa." Over and over again 
 in his letters he expresses the utmost anxiety to 
 use all spare moments in " waiting upon the Lord 
 for His power for work in that country." In a 
 
 letter to Miss B he says, " Pray for me about 
 
 the language ; at present it does seem so difficult 
 and I do want to speak soon. God used to give 
 His servants the gift of tongues, and He will not 
 fail to help now " ; and in a letter to his father, " I 
 want it to be a time of quiet tarrying upon God 
 
THE VOYAGE TO AFRICA 59 
 
 for power from on high for work. I feel so help- 
 less in some respects, not naturally having much 
 inclination for building and other arts useful to 
 a pioneer Missionary. I long above all things 
 for spiritual power — what Uganda and the rest 
 of the world wants above all things." It is inter- 
 esting to read how every day opened with Bible 
 readings on the Epistle to the Hebrews, and closed 
 with hymns and prayer ; how one night the little 
 Missionary band sang hymns in a corner of the 
 deck in the dark, and prayed for all they loved 
 at home (of these he touchingly remarks else- 
 where, " Our love to Christ, at Whose bidding we 
 go, makes not our love to them less strong. I 
 thank God it was hard to leave England, and 
 I thank Him for each one of those who made it 
 hard to leave the earthly Homeland ") ; how the 
 phrase "ocean of Thy love" in the well-known 
 evening hymn seemed clothed with almost a new 
 meaning in presence of the sea extending "wide 
 as the eye could travel, and, further, so deep, and 
 upholding the ship on its bosom — a graphic type 
 of the fulness of God's love." "May we," he 
 adds, "bathe in it, and have our hearts filled 
 with it, as He means us to do." 
 
 The writer again remarks, " I am trying to get 
 more time with God early in the morning. It 
 
60 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 does bring blessing to have a tarrying time with 
 Him, free from hurry, before all the rushing about 
 begins and mixing with other people." But, while 
 his whole heart was evidently thus given to God 
 and to the work before him, it is refreshing to see 
 how full he was of buoyant animal spirits, and 
 how thoroughly he could enter into and partici- 
 pate in the pleasures and enjoyments of others. 
 He gives an amusing and graphic account of 
 leap-frog and cricket on deck, and such-like de- 
 vices for breaking the monotony of a long voyage. 
 His religion was no morose, unsociable thing. It 
 was a religion brim-full of sympathy, and quick 
 to claim its share in all innocent pleasure. This 
 his fellow-passengers seem to have fully recog- 
 nised, if we are to judge from the hearty send-off 
 they gave the missionary party when they left 
 the ship at Aden. The first glimpse of Africa, 
 sighted on the 15th, stirred up strong emotions 
 in his heart. He rushed on deck. The grim and 
 rugged coast of Morocco, seen in the distance, 
 was a call to prayer and to renewed determina- 
 tion, by God's grace, " not to know anything " 
 among the peoples of the Dark Continent " save 
 Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." He used after- 
 wards always to sit on that side of the boat and 
 work at Luganda. 
 
THE VOYAGE TO AFRICA 61 
 
 A very happy time was spent at Malta. The 
 party, on reaching Valetta, were met by Miss 
 Lytton, who works among the British soldiers 
 there. She offered her services as guide, and 
 invited them to tea at the Presbyterian Army 
 Chaplain's house. She had arranged a Missionary 
 meeting afterwards, at which the soldiers and their 
 friends might come together and wish them God- 
 speed. John thus describes the arrival : M After 
 much excitement amongst the brown-faced boat- 
 men, we all 'escaped safe to land,' as St. Paul and 
 his fellow-voyagers did long ago, a few miles up 
 the shore." After the party had paid visits to 
 many places of interest, Mr. Murray welcomed 
 them to tea, and presided subsequently at the 
 meeting, where all experienced much blessing. 
 " It was good," John writes, " to find many 
 simple loving Christians in a city of priests and 
 processions. ... It is impossible to describe 
 the warmth and kindness of our Maltese friends. 
 The happy hours will not be forgotten by us." 
 At midnight they sailed away for Brindisi. 
 
 Port Said was reached on the 19th. The heat 
 was very great, and it became necessary to sleep 
 on deck, " in spite of the rats which manoeuvre 
 there when all is comparatively quiet." Aden was 
 reached on the 22nd. John writes from here : 
 
62 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 " Such a strange scene ! Water-carts drawn 
 by camels, natives of all shades of brown and 
 black, bright-eyed boys begging and laughing full 
 of fun and mischief. The boy element seems to 
 prevail in Aden. On our anchoring, they came 
 out in canoes, swimming and diving for silver 
 coins. Every black man or boy has become an 
 object of deep interest to me. May the Lord give 
 me deep love for their souls. . . . We are 
 really making headway with the language — praise 
 Him, and go on praying." At Aden the mis- 
 sionary party had to leave the Khedive and 
 go on board the British India Company's ship 
 Canara. The passengers and ship's officers of 
 the Khedive, who had all shown a kindly interest 
 in them, crowded to watch them steam away in 
 the launch, which they did singing the Doxology. 
 But as they were not to start until the next 
 day, they went ashore, and drove in five broken- 
 down vehicles to the celebrated " Tanks." John 
 writes : " We passed on the way flocks of sheep 
 and goats, water-sellers, camels, and many Eastern 
 common objects which recalled the parables and 
 scenes of Scripture. The Tanks were wonderful 
 in their capacity for holding rain-water, which only 
 falls once in three years. To the wonderment of 
 our Mohammedan guides we sat by one of the 
 
THE VOYAGE TO AFRICA 63 
 
 highest tanks and sang two hymns, ' Like a river 
 glorious,' and 'Abide with me.'" The next day 
 (the 23rd) they began the last part of their voyage, 
 and reached Mombasa on October 1st. John re- 
 marks here, "On October 1st, 1888, I began my 
 undergraduate life at Cambridge ; on October 1st, 
 1891, I began life in London as a Lay- Worker 
 under Mr. Webb-Peploe ; on October 1st, 1896, I 
 land in Africa." 
 
 An enthusiastic reception awaited them. As 
 soon as the anchor was dropped, boats put off 
 both from Mombasa and Frere Town containing 
 brethren and friends eager to give them a hearty 
 welcome. Dr. Baxter was one of the first. He 
 had been working hard to collect porters, sheep, 
 goats, donkeys, chairs for the ladies, for the journey 
 up country. Very touching was the meeting 
 between Mr. Baskerville and some of his Baganda 
 boys, who had been left by him at Frere Town a 
 year ago. They rushed into the water, flinging 
 their arms round his neck, and showing every 
 token of the warmest love. The Frere Town 
 Boys' Band gave the missionaries a rough but 
 hearty serenade. The beach was covered with 
 men, women, and children, who had come to see 
 them. It was a great treat also to meet with 
 Bishop Tucker, and to go with him to the new 
 
64 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 church for a short, simple, but very real service 
 of thanksgiving for journeying mercies. This 
 church had been built entirely by native Chris- 
 tians. It is seated with pews of teak wood. The 
 pulpit, reading-desk, and lectern would be quite 
 worthy of an English church. The walls are very 
 thick, and a number of doors are placed along each 
 side of the building, as well as at the west end, 
 thus providing excellent ventilation. A glad and 
 happy day indeed was John's first Sunday in 
 Africa. At first it was suggested that the mission- 
 ary party should have an English Communion 
 Service, but, instead of that, they joined the native 
 Christians at their service at 9 a.m. The church, 
 which holds a congregation of 350, was full. The 
 Rev. H. K. Binns, who is the senior Missionary at 
 the Coast, and has been in the locality for more 
 than twenty years, preached fluently in Swahili to a 
 most attentive audience from 1 Corinthians xv. 22, 
 23. The hymns were sung most lustily. They 
 were translations of well-known English hymns 
 sung to the old tunes. John remarks : " It is won- 
 derful to hear these Christians sing their Swahili 
 hymns. We just know enough Luganda to be 
 able to pronounce the words. They are written in 
 Roman characters, so we sing also, though not 
 much ' with the understanding ' as yet. When 
 
STAY IN FRERE TOWN 65 
 
 the general congregation had withdrawn, there 
 followed the Holy Communion, and sweetly and 
 powerfully was their nearness in Christ with those 
 dear people, rescued from heathenism and slavery, 
 realized ! Yes, " Christian fellowship is felt to be 
 a very real thing out there ! " Two days after 
 (October 6th) came the Dedication Service of the 
 new church. This had been postponed on account 
 of the Bishop having been in Uganda. All the 
 clergy and ladies from the neighbouring Missions 
 were present. John shall give the story of the 
 day's proceedings in his own words : " It is almost 
 impossible to describe the heartiness and reality of 
 the Dedication Service. It was also the Harvest 
 Festival. The Bishop was met at the west door 
 by four C.M.S.. clergymen and the native pastor 
 (the Rev. I. M. Semler). Mr. Binns preached, and 
 the Bishop took the Holy Communion Service. 
 The church was filled to overflowing with a very 
 reverent congregation, who joined in the service 
 and sang heartily. Many brought offerings of 
 fruit. In the afternoon, at 3 p.m., a Confirmation 
 Service was held. The Bishop gave the addresses, 
 and Mr. Binns translated. The Bishop read 
 the Service in Swahili. It was, again, a most 
 impressive sight to see thirty young men and 
 young women, gathered from heathenism, volun- 
 
 5 
 
66 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 tarily confirming the promises of their baptism. 
 Three of Mr. Baskerville's boys from Uganda were 
 amongst the number. These went up last, the 
 Bishop reading the words in Luganda." Whilst at 
 Frere Town John lodged with Mr. Binns — a man 
 (to his mind) the ideal of a missionary, good at 
 everything — carpentering, building, tinkering, etc., 
 and a most earnest and effective preacher. It was 
 felt by him to be a great privilege to be spending 
 his waiting time with such charming people. He 
 speaks with enthusiasm also of the place. The 
 scenery is splendid, the flowers glorious — hibiscus, 
 oleander, etc., tall palm trees with their clusters of 
 cocoa-nuts everywhere, vegetable and animal life 
 abounding, the morning and evening tints most 
 beautiful, the sea and cliffs, all these combining to 
 make a perfect picture. But chiefly, Frere Town 
 is a bright spot morally — a sort of oasis in the 
 spiritual desert of heathenism and Mohammedan- 
 ism. It is a great centre for missionaries, several 
 ladies and men working in the Freed Slaves' 
 Schools. The Frere Town boys are bright, and 
 some of them quick at lessons. They do the cook- 
 ing (and very well too), and are most anxious to 
 help in any way. Men and boys alike are cour- 
 teous and obliging ; but the women and girls are 
 far behind, seeming coarser and ill-mannered. 
 
STAY IN FRERE TOWN 67 
 
 This, doubtless, arises from their bringing up, 
 Africa's women having been in the past treated 
 more like dogs than human beings. There is a 
 Divinity college in Frere Town in the charge of 
 the Rev. J. E. Hamshere. It is for training young 
 men to be school teachers, and for the ministry. 
 The students are bright, earnest men. Filled with 
 the Spirit of God, they will exert an incalculable 
 influence for good. Africa must be evangelized by 
 Africans. The European work is to train and 
 feed the teachers. 
 
 Frere Town is a great contrast to Mombasa, 
 which is bigoted and desperately ignorant — noise, 
 dirt, and Mohammedanism being its principal 
 characteristics. Very few visible results have so 
 far crowned the work of Missions there. John 
 describes his walk through the town with the Rev. 
 W. C. Taylor, whose courteous manner and sym- 
 pathy, he thinks, must win the people from their 
 bigotry. " We came to a house where, amid much 
 shouting, and dancing, and drum-beating, an evil 
 spirit was being exorcised. Mr. Taylor told the 
 exorciser that he was a self-deceiver, and also 
 deceiving the people. The crowd became rather 
 angry, and said 'Bwana Taylor' lied. They all 
 seemed to know him." Two afternoons a week 
 open-air services are held in the Market Place. 
 
6S JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 During this waiting time our young missionary 
 occupied himself most diligently in learning Lu- 
 ganda, and in helping forward the arrangements 
 for the caravan. He was ' longing to be on the 
 tramp." In a letter to his father, alluding to the 
 dear people in South Heigham being divided in 
 opinion about his coming, he says : " Tell them, 
 with my Christian love, that I am not at all 
 divided in my own mind on the subject. I think 
 it was Krapf (I saw his wife's grave on Saturday) 
 who said, ' The cry of Christendom is but a faint 
 echo of the cry of Heathendom.' The need of 
 men in nominally Christian lands is great, but that 
 of Africa is infinitely greater. I hope they will all 
 pray earnestly and constantly for us who are in 
 Africa for Christ. I shall make a point of remem- 
 bering the last Sunday in the month, when you 
 have the Missionary Prayer Meeting in church." 
 In the same letter he writes of the possible 
 dangers on the route to Uganda from lions, and 
 tells of one of Mr. Roscoe's boys who ventured 
 outside his camp tent one night without a light. 
 Though he was only four yards away, a lion 
 sprang upon him, and the poor fellow was carried 
 off. He was a bright Christian lad. He adds sig- 
 nificantly, after detailing the precautions which 
 would be taken by the missionary band, "The 
 
STAY IN FRERE TOWN 69 
 
 God of Daniel still can shut the mouths of lions." 
 Very interesting was it to hear that a Confirma- 
 tion had just been held there, at which there were 
 350 candidates, most of whom had been baptized 
 by Mr. Fitch. The work of Mr. Fitch and his 
 sister was, by universal testimony, most thorough. 
 The difficulties in the way of making a start 
 for the front lasted six weeks. John aptly re- 
 marks : " The time of waiting at the coast has been 
 a time of learning patience. We came out longing 
 to begin our march at once, and we have been 
 kept waiting. We long to get where we are to 
 teachy but we are delayed here to learn!' In a 
 letter to Miss Durnford, a Plumstead friend, he 
 writes : " Delays seem quite the rule in Africa, 
 and we have need of patience. ... I am 
 finding in this tarrying time that God is before 
 and behind as well as in us. After all, He 
 wants ourselves more than our work." The for- 
 warding in advance of the necessary supplies, 
 and the deluges of rain which fall in November, 
 combined to make a forward movement at once 
 impossible. It is deeply interesting to note how 
 precious experience in missionary work came 
 out of the enforced delay. We read of moonlight 
 meetings arranged for the natives by Mr. Binns, 
 at which each missionary spoke "by interpre- 
 
70 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 tation." It fell to John to address a meeting for 
 all the Christian " native workers " — Sunday- 
 school teachers, Church elders, Sunday after- 
 noon visitors, etc. About forty-five came to 
 tea, at Mrs. Binns' invitation. During tea, Miss 
 Taylor, one of the Uganda ladies, sang to them. 
 After the tea, partaken of in European style, John 
 spoke on the Lord's commission to St. Peter, " Feed 
 My lambs." " It was a joyful privilege," he writes, 
 "to speak 'in the Name' to these fellow-labourers." 
 Then followed a most profitable and happy 
 Saturday and Sunday at Kilindini, a suburb of 
 Mombasa Town. John was the guest of the Rev. 
 F. Burt, missionary in charge of the Mombasa 
 mission work. Kilindini is situated about two 
 miles from Mombasa Town. The barracks in 
 which the Indian soldiers are stationed are there. 
 It is also the starting point of the Uganda railway. 
 John's object in going to Kilindini was to attend 
 a Baptismal Class on the Saturday evening. He 
 says : " Plow can I describe the scene when we 
 arrived ! The meeting place is known among the 
 missionaries as ' Kilindini Cathedral.' It is open 
 at the west end, no wall or doors. The thatch 
 comes down low, as in most African buildings. 
 It is seated with trunks of trees lying one behind 
 the other. When we arrived, five men were sitting 
 
STAY IN FRERE TOWN 71 
 
 on the men's side and about twenty-five women 
 opposite. One lamp was burning, and the native 
 catechist, Levi, in his snow-white long garment, 
 was speaking from a rough reading-desk. After 
 prayer Mr. Burt gave his instruction as to the 
 meaning of baptism and what it involved. To 
 see these ignorant, low-born men and women 
 just beaming with the joy of the Holy Spirit 
 was a sight worth taking the whole journey from 
 England to behold." These people were not 
 Mombasa people, but had settled on the island 
 from the mainland. Some of the men preparing 
 for baptism were at that time "on safari," 
 i.e. gone up country as porters for caravans. 
 The hour spent in " Kilindini Cathedral " was an 
 hour never to be forgotten. On the Sunday 
 John helped Mr. Burt at the English Holy Com- 
 munion Service, held at 7.30 in the ground-floor 
 room in the ladies' house. He took a lads' Bible 
 Class in the ladies' house, at Miss Grieve's in- 
 vitation. She interpreted. The lads are " house- 
 boys " in the houses of Europeans, many of them 
 brought up at Frere Town or at other mission 
 stations. They are mostly baptized, but the per- 
 secution they meet with in Mombasa Town 
 makes it hard for them to hold fast their 
 profession. They are argued with by bigoted 
 
72 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Mohammedans, and insulted by other lads. A 
 favourite sneer is to call them " black Europeans." 
 Eleven came to the class, which was fewer than 
 usual on account of the rain, and rain in Africa 
 means something a great deal more than rain in 
 England ! The subject taken at the class was 
 the choice of Moses (Heb. xi.), what he " refused " 
 and what he " chose." Next followed the English 
 service, held in the Custom House. Besides the 
 missionaries seven others attended, among them 
 four Eurasians who had come from India to 
 serve as clerks in the railway works. John 
 speaks of the joy he felt in reading the full 
 evening service for the first time since leaving 
 England. There was a solemn appropriateness 
 to his own case, as God's providence subsequently 
 ordered, in the subject chosen for the address. 
 He spoke, from St. John iii. 30, of St. John the 
 Baptist as merely " a voice of one crying " — 
 " bearing witness " to the Word. The " voice " 
 was soon to be silenced, but " the Word " is 
 eternal and must increase. After the service he 
 went with Mr. and Mrs. Burt to pay their weekly 
 visit at the old Portuguese fort, now used as a 
 jail. About ten prisoners were together in large 
 locked rooms. The poor fellows crowded to the 
 barred doors at Mr. Burt's voice, John stayed 
 
STAY IN FRERE TOWN 73 
 
 at one door with Mrs. Burt while her husband 
 went to another cell. "It was a picture," he 
 says, "to watch her speaking fluently in Swahili 
 to these men — just speaking to them simply of 
 Christ. Surely such work must tell, and win 
 them (D.G.) to that true ' Prophet that should 
 come' (and has come and will come) into the 
 world. They did not attempt to argue, they 
 only looked earnestly at Mrs. Burt and said, 
 ' True, true,' again and again." John added a 
 few words by interpretation. " When these 
 Mohammedans return to their homes, they will 
 not forget that it was the Christian who visited 
 them whilst suffering for their misdeeds." Sunday 
 night brought another new experience — the 
 Mission Service at the Mission Hall. After Mr. 
 and Mrs. Burt had spoken, John was called upon to 
 address the company. Of this and other oppor- 
 tunities, he writes : " What a joy in the middle of 
 a Mohammedan town to witness for Christ ! It 
 is difficult to describe what it is to preach Christ 
 out here. The little foretaste I have had makes 
 me long to know the language better and get 
 to work." He adds some interesting remarks 
 about the Mohammedans generally. They are 
 particularly bigoted and conceited. Whilst 
 friendly to the missionaries, they tell them plainly 
 
74 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 that they are certain they are right and the mis- 
 sionaries wrong. One of them said to Mr. Burt, 
 " Jesus, the Son of Mary, was a great and good 
 Prophet, but God forbid that I should say He 
 was the Son of God." They rely upon their 
 works, prayers, and faith in Mahomet. The 
 crowning sin in their eyes is to disbelieve in 
 God's prophet. Any sin against morality is 
 nothing in comparison' with this. Consequently 
 the work in Mombasa is slow. Still, the earnest 
 looks and attention of hearers give hope that 
 the seed is taking root, and that, in due time, 
 there will come a harvest. It is thought that 
 there are several secret believers, and that, if one 
 would but lead the way by coming to baptism, 
 many more would follow. One baptism would 
 be like setting a light to a ready-laid fire. John 
 remarks at this point that the " Slave Question " is 
 a very large one, and that it seems difficult to 
 know what would happen if the large number of 
 women and girls were suddenly freed. The case 
 of domestic slavery is very different from what 
 we generally know in England as " slavery." 
 
 Here is a brief epitome of the life of the mis- 
 sionaries in Frere Town. A daily Prayer Meeting 
 was held at noon. This included a ten minutes' 
 address, taken by each in turn. Every Wednes- 
 
STAY IN FRERE TOWN 75 
 
 clay night, at 7.30, a Bible Reading was held for 
 an hour and a half. Once a month a Gleaners' 
 Union Meeting took the place of this. The mis- 
 sionaries from Mombasa came across for these 
 weekly meetings in boats rowed by strong mission 
 boys. John cheerily concludes his circular letter 
 thus : " We shall, all well, spend our Christmas 
 in tents. We hope to be more than half-way 
 to Uganda. Several of our party have brought 
 Christmas puddings. Also, as several have guns, 
 we hope to have some game. This last item on 
 the menu is, however, uncertain at present, as our 
 sportsmen have not yet learned to shoot. After 
 shooting without success at a hawk which was 
 carrying off chickens, Mr. Wigram was reported 
 to have shot an owl. It was also reported that 
 the unfortunate bird was asleep at the time 
 sitting on a tree enjoying its afternoon siesta ! " 
 We next hear of John at Mzizima. This is 
 a Medical Mission Station, beautifully situated 
 amongst cocoanut palms within sight of Frere 
 Town. He had gone to pay a visit to Dr. and 
 Mrs. Edwards. The hospital service is conducted 
 by Mr. Burt, the patients consisting almost en- 
 tirely of heathen and Mohammedans, with a very 
 small admixture of Christians sent from inland 
 mission stations. The time spent at Mzizima was 
 
76 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 most enjoyable. Mrs. Edwards had in her early 
 days been connected with St. Jude's, Mildmay, 
 and knew personally many of John's most valued 
 friends (such as the Rev. W. and Mrs. Penne- 
 father, Canon Garratt, and the Rev. W. Hay 
 Aitken), and had been thrown into company with 
 all sorts and conditions of Christians in different 
 parts of Europe. They thus found that they 
 had much in common, and the intercourse was 
 the more delightful and helpful. 
 
 Mrs. Edwards, writing to his father after his 
 home call, says : " I cannot tell you what a pleasure 
 and refreshment his visit was to us. We were 
 greatly struck with Mr. Callis's thoughtfulness and 
 singular maturity. It was most evident that he 
 had been deeply taught by the Holy Spirit, and 
 his gentle humility and unobtrusiveness made 
 what he said all the more striking. His thoughts 
 were evidently dwelling much on the life to come, 
 and he several times mentioned to me the loss of 
 a young sister, which led up to that subject. One 
 felt how intensely real all was to him, and how 
 actually he was living in the presence of our Lord. 
 He spoke of a book of Mr. Jukes', ' The New 
 Man,' which had been a great help to him. Just 
 before he left we took a short walk together. A 
 little black boy had followed him from Frere 
 
STAY IN FRERE TOWN 77 
 
 Town in the boat. He carried him most of the 
 way home, because he thought he must be tired. 
 I noticed his love for children, and sympathy for 
 the weak. He was quite taken up with this 
 little fellow, though they could not understand 
 one another's language at all. It is a mystery 
 why such a life has ended so early for the work 
 here. One cannot understand, one can only trust 
 the love that knows and orders all. 
 
 Whilst at Frere Town news came from the front 
 which plainly showed how graciously God in His 
 providence had been watching over our young 
 missionary. The floods had been terrible. The 
 Taru desert had become an inland sea, and the 
 natives had taken to the trees, as their houses were 
 under water. Five mail-men, bringing letters 
 from Taita, had been drowned. " We can only be 
 most thankful," he writes, " that we did not start 
 in October. If porters had been available on 
 landing, and if we had started, the rains and floods 
 would almost have swamped us." He adds : 
 " Looking through the past months I see God's 
 hand leading very plainly, and I can but praise 
 Him. Every one who comes to the mission field 
 says it is there the Lord draws souls closer to Him- 
 self, and I can only say, Amen. The waiting time 
 has been a time of looking after our own vineyards." 
 
Chapter VI 
 
 THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 
 
 " Be strong and of a good courage : for the Lord thy God 
 is with thee whithersoever thou goest."— Josh. i. 9. 
 
 AT last came the long-desired signal to move. 
 The morning of Saturday, November 28th, 
 saw the missionary party, thirteen in number, 
 commencing their journey to Uganda. But first 
 came a happy gathering of all engaged in the 
 Lord's work in Mombasa and Frere Town at the 
 Lord's Table — a sweet but all too brief season of 
 " strengthening one another's hands in God." On 
 the beach they found almost all Frere Town 
 assembled to bid them God-speed. The head 
 engineer of the Uganda Railway had kindly 
 arranged for them to be taken by train to Mazeros 
 (fourteen miles from Mombasa). Crossing in the 
 mission boats from Frere Town, they were then 
 conveyed in curious little carriages, pushed by 
 hand, on railway-like lines to Kilindini, which has 
 been already mentioned as the terminus of the 
 
 new railway. Here is a large station-yard, marked 
 
 78 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 79 
 
 out by high iron railings, inside which are large 
 iron stores. Three engines are already working 
 on the line, and two more had come out in 
 sections by the last mail. The " Express " was 
 due to leave Kilindini at 10 a.m. sharp ; but, with 
 the punctuality usual in Africa, started at 11.45. 
 It consisted of an engine and two trucks — the first 
 of these seated with planks for the occasion — the 
 other filled with personal goods (which had to be 
 as few as possible, as many of the porters had 
 failed to put in an appearance) and with the 
 missionaries' " boys." These " boys " wait, cook, 
 wash up, and do all necessary work for their 
 masters. Loud cheers from the little knot of 
 Europeans, who had come down to see them 
 off, greeted the moment of departure. Slowly, 
 through lovely scenery, they travelled in the 
 direction of the narrow belt of water which 
 separates Mombasa from the mainland, and 
 crossed by the temporary bridge. Heavy showers 
 of rain came on, during which they lunched under 
 umbrellas and mackintoshes. About three miles 
 from Mazeros there had been a break-down on 
 the railway. Consequently the train could pro- 
 ceed no further. As it had to return at once, 
 loads were hastily deposited by the side of the 
 line, and a somewhat hurried but loving farewell 
 
So JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 taken of the missionary brethren from the coast. 
 John feelingly speaks of this as " a small repeti- 
 tion of what he had gone through in September, 
 when bidding farewell to the dear, dear friends 
 in the Home country." 
 
 And now for a picture of daily camp life ! 
 This memorable Saturday, at its close, finds the 
 missionary party for the first time under canvas — 
 each one having his own tent, bed, table, chair, 
 etc. At 4 a.m. each morning, Dr. Baxter, leader 
 of the caravan, blows a horn to arouse every one — 
 missionaries and porters (of whom there are 200) 
 alike. After packing up comes breakfast in the 
 open, whilst the tents are being taken down. At 
 6 a.m. (sunrise), or a little before, the caravan 
 starts. After three hours' march a halt is made 
 for rest and refreshment. The " boys " bring up 
 kettles, and tea is provided. In half an hour a 
 fresh move is made. The ground covered each 
 day varies from ten to twenty miles, according to 
 circumstances. Water supply, or the supply of 
 firewood available, generally settles where the next 
 camp is to be. The day's march is usually finished 
 well before mid-day. Tents are then pitched ; all 
 partake of food; there is bathing and change of 
 apparel. The afternoons are spent in studying 
 Luganda under Mr. Pilkington's most able tui- 
 
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THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 81 
 
 tion. There are prayers amongst the missionaries 
 themselves before tea, and prayers conducted by 
 Mr. Baskerville for the Baganda " boys " and 
 porters after tea. The sun sets all the year round 
 at 6 p.m., with little variation. At 9 p.m. the in- 
 defatigable Dr. Baxter again blows the horn — a 
 signal for the porters to cease laughing and talking 
 over their camp fires. John remarks about these 
 porters, that they are mostly a very degraded set, 
 having no idea of enjoyment beyond the gratifica- 
 tion of their animal lusts and passions. Though 
 they are thoroughly well treated as regards food 
 and shelter, they often suffer terribly from bron- 
 chitis, dysentery, etc. Dr. Cook is their medical 
 adviser, the missionaries being in charge of Dr. 
 Baxter. He also blows a horn every evening, and 
 those who are ill come to him for medicine. The 
 caravan on the march is a strange sight. There 
 are the travellers — the male portion clothed in 
 flannel shirts, Kharki knickers, puttees and boots, 
 and armed with umbrellas and water-bottles. A 
 native drum is carried, to cheer up the porters by 
 its beating. A herd of sheep and goats (gradually 
 decreasing) forms part of the caravan. Fifty 
 pack-donkeys carry some of the loads, and eight 
 are reserved for riding. Then there are the 
 " jinrickshas " — carriages drawn by men — for the 
 
 6 
 
82 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 ladies. These are in John's special charge. As 
 they are somewhat like hansom-cabs, it is a com- 
 paratively easy matter to pilot them up hill and 
 down dale. Still, there are sometimes accidents. 
 He thus describes one. The caravan was passing 
 some large water-holes, dug out of the side of the 
 line (near Mazeros) for the use of the workmen, 
 when, owing to the slippery state of the road 
 through mud, the man between the shafts of one 
 of the jinrickshas lost his footing. He pitched 
 sideways into the hole, dragging the chair after 
 him. Happily, there was but little water in this 
 particular hole, and no harm was done. 
 
 On the march there was generally but scant 
 time for quiet reading and prayer. All the more 
 reason (our young missionary interjects) for prayer 
 at home ! 
 
 At Mazeros there was an English service at 
 9.30, outside the bungalow of an Englishman and 
 his wife, who had been living there for some time. 
 There are many such in those parts left as 
 " sheep without a shepherd," and of whom gener- 
 ally the sad testimony has to be borne, " Out 
 here Englishmen have no morals." After the 
 service, John enjoyed a walk across beautiful hills 
 to Rabai with Drs. Baxter and Cook, and paid a 
 second visit to the Rev. A. G. and Mrs. Smith, the 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 83 
 
 successors of Mr. and Miss Fitch, of whose God- 
 inspired work mention has been already made. 
 They stayed on Sunday to the Swahili service. 
 The sermon was preached by the Rev. W. H 
 Jones, who went up country with Bishop Han- 
 nington at the time of his murder. Mr. Jones is 
 a native clergyman, who has worked at Rabai for 
 twenty-five years. 
 
 The next news from our young missionary 
 comes in a letter to his mother, dated December 
 9th, from Ndi. The party were then a hundred 
 miles from the coast, and had been most favoured 
 in their journey. They had met with plenty of 
 water and much grass. The " Taru desert," 
 where the trees are usually bare and white, the 
 ground without grass, and the road for sixty 
 miles exposed to a scorching sun, was now provi- 
 dentially covered with grass and shaded by leafy 
 trees. The heavy rains had been God's messenger 
 before them, to make their way thus easy and 
 prosperous. After eight days' incessant daily 
 march they reached the Government station at 
 Ndi, and looked forward to a Sabbath on the 
 morrow and a short rest. They were all perfectly 
 well and fit in every way The weather was 
 delightfully cool, and they had now reached an 
 altitude of nearly 2,000 feet above sea-level. John 
 
84 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 describes himself " writing seated on a box out- 
 side my tent. It is past six, and night is fast 
 coming on. The mountain by our camp stands 
 ou against a blue cloudy sky lighted up with the 
 setting sun." Two days after came a fresh move. 
 Meanwhile, all, including the donkeys, had much 
 enjoyed the rest. Two missionaries from Taita 
 had walked twenty miles to see the party, one of 
 them being Mr. J. A. Wray. There was much 
 trouble at this time about the porters. The party 
 had thirty-eight Waganda porters who legally be- 
 longed to a man named Geinel at Kibwezi, a 
 place about seventy-eight miles up country. They 
 deserted from him, because of his cruel treatment. 
 Mr. Pilkington decided to make a special journey 
 on a bicycle to try and propitiate this man with 
 money. If he should not succeed, they would all 
 run away rather than join his caravan, dreading 
 the deadly vengeance he would be sure to wreak 
 on them, if he once got them within his grasp 
 again. John goes on to remark, " British rule is 
 a great blessing here. If these things go on now, 
 what must it have been before there was any 
 civilized power to control ! The country is so 
 vast, it will take time to get everything in hand." 
 Speaking again of the climate, he says : " The 
 climate is delightfully cool, except from about 10 
 
/ 
 
 THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 85 
 
 a.m. to 4 p.m. The thermometer is always high, 
 but, somehow, we don't feel the heat. I had no 
 idea the country was so very lovely here. We 
 walk through lanes very much like what we have 
 in England in the spring." Bicycling was a useful 
 resource for some of the party. They used to go 
 on in advance, and get into camp two or three 
 hours before the caravan, and decide where the four 
 messes and sets of tents were to be placed. When 
 the caravan arrived, and meal-time was come, 
 all would sit on chairs or boxes at the camp tables, 
 and enjoy quite a sumptuous repast. Porridge, 
 beef, mutton, goats' flesh (this was generally very 
 tough), biscuits, corn-flour, jam, rice, dates, onions, 
 tinned potatoes, tea, coffee, cocoa, etc., made up a 
 good menu. The meal would be enlivened with 
 spicy tales of Dr. Baxter's hunting experiences 
 and narrow escapes. 
 
 By this time, thanks to the excellent tuition of 
 Mr. Pilkington, John was able to speak a few 
 sentences to the Waganda porters about the 
 Gospel. There were 160 of them in all, including 
 head-men and Askaris. The Askaris carry guns 
 and bullet cartridges. They also superintend the 
 putting up of tents, and keep order among the 
 porters. John writes very enthusiastically of 
 tramp life, though not unfrequently it was varied 
 
86 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 with dangerous elements. Just before the party 
 reached Mt. Songolani — a transport station, con- 
 sisting of wattled stores containing provisions, 
 etc. — they were all awoke one night by a great 
 shouting and hubbub from the porters. A lion 
 had suddenly appeared. It had crept silently to 
 the corner of the camp, and then pounced upon 
 a porter's tent, dragging it off into the jungle. 
 The porter happily escaped with only a blow 
 from the lion's paw on his head — an injury soon 
 put right by Dr. Baxter. Game in these parts is 
 commonly plentiful — partridges, guinea-fowl, hares, 
 etc. Giraffes, hyaenas, antelopes, and zebras 
 abound. No villages were passed the whole way, 
 as the natives prefer to live away from the cara- 
 van route for fear of ill-treatment and robbery. 
 Every evening there was a camp-fire lesson in 
 Luganda for an hour. The language proved very 
 interesting, and further good progress was made 
 under Mr. Pilkington's teaching. On the 15th, 
 the camp was pitched at Kinani, and a splendid 
 view of Mt. Kilimanjaro greeted the travellers' 
 eyes. The two peaks were seventy-five miles 
 distant. The setting sun lit up the outline with 
 lines of gold. Snow lay here and there in patches 
 and creeks. Many of the porters climbed the 
 rocks to enjoy the view. The mountain is over 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 87 
 
 19,000 feet in height — 3,000 feet higher than 
 Mt. Blanc. The summit was first reached by a 
 German a few years ago. The C.M.S. once had 
 a mission station on the side of the mountain, and 
 Dr. Baxter worked there. When Kilimanjaro 
 became German territory, the English Mission 
 withdrew, and the work is now carried on by a 
 German Lutheran Society. 
 
 About this time the missionary party crossed 
 their first river — the Tsavo. The current was swift, 
 and the water reached to the porters' waists. The 
 ladies were carried over in a chair, raised high by 
 six porters. The others were carried on porters' 
 shoulders, sitting with their knees on each side of 
 the head. The crossing took a considerable time, 
 as the donkeys had to be unloaded, and the 
 jinrickshas were very awkward to manage with 
 such steep banks. Ordinary streams were ridden 
 through on donkeys, if too deep to wade across. 
 The route now lay in a north-westerly direction, 
 and the altitude increased daily. An aneroid, 
 which had been presented to John by Mr. C. F. 
 Hinde, churchwarden of Holy Trinity, Heigham, 
 was found most useful in calculating this. A good 
 deal of anxiety was caused just then by the very 
 serious illness, from fever, of a lady who had come 
 with the caravan to rejoin her husband at Kikuyu. 
 
88 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 But, with God's blessing on the skill of the two 
 doctors, and Miss Timpson (who is a fully qualified 
 nurse from Guy's), she recovered. 
 
 Christmas was now approaching, and our young 
 missionary's thoughts instinctively turned to home. 
 In a circular letter he says : " We shall share 
 with Christians at home the * good tidings of great 
 joy,' which are '/or all people' We are here to 
 tell the Africans it is for them." 
 
 Sunday, the 20th, was spent at Kibwezi, where a 
 Scotch Industrial Mission is established. The 
 head of the Mission is now in Europe, and he 
 hopes to obtain leave to transfer the Mission to 
 another centre, as the natives have not come 
 to live round them, as they hoped would be the 
 case. The Wakamba, through whose territory 
 they were now journeying, are as yet untouched 
 by Christianity, no Europeans having yet learned 
 their language. Their country is vast and 
 mountainous. Until this year, the Kibwezi Mis- 
 sion has been the only attempt to reach this 
 tribe. None of the Scotch missionaries can yet 
 speak in their tongue, while the American " African 
 Inland Mission " was only started eighteen months 
 ago. The latter have a staff of fifteen male and 
 female missionaries, and several out-stations. But 
 they are heavily handicapped by having to form a 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 89 
 
 vocabulary and grammar. The Wakamba much 
 resent the intrusion of white people into their 
 country, and refuse to sell food to the missionaries 
 or Government officials. They bring sugar-cane, 
 curdled milk, cooking bananas into our camp, 
 bartering them with the porters for beads, cloth, 
 bottles, and salt. The Sunday at Kibwezi began 
 with a celebration of Holy Communion at 7 a.m. 
 in the rough grass and stake structure called " the 
 Church." It was the first service held within any 
 enclosure for some time. John had several very 
 interesting talks with an English-speaking Hindoo 
 clerk employed on the railway. This clerk read 
 to him in his tent some excellent moral sayings 
 from his Hindoo book of devotions — as to the 
 shortness and uncertainty of life, and the need of 
 turning to God at once. The most pathetic part 
 was this : " There is no pleader, no pleader at all ; 
 you must pray and pray, and do good." It was a 
 great privilege to John to be able to tell him of 
 the " One Mediator." He had been educated in a 
 Government school in India, and he explained 
 how, in the missionaries' schools in India, the Bible 
 is taught, but in the Government schools there is 
 no Bible. In the evening John wrote out several 
 passages of Scripture, took them to the Hindoo's 
 tent, and placed the Way before him clearly. He 
 
90 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 seemed to be longing for rest of soul, and the 
 two had prayer together. 
 
 Illness amongst the party now made progress 
 rather slow. One of the ladies was attacked with 
 fever, and it took six hours to travel nine miles. 
 On the 23rd Kiboko River was reached. The 
 name means " Rhinoceros." 
 
 The country was full of wild animals. Hyaenas 
 approached the camp-fires, and roared with 
 laughter, as though the camp had been pitched 
 solely for their amusement. But they were not 
 thought much of, any more than are the cats on the 
 roofs at home. The bad water affected the health 
 of two of the other ladies, and it was decided that 
 a move on should be made without them, Dr. 
 Baxter, Mr. Clayton, and John remaining behind 
 in charge. The water is described as "just one 
 dirty pool in the rocks." After tea, Mr. Clayton 
 and John took their chairs to a far extremity of the 
 camp, out of hearing of the invalids, and sang over 
 the old, old Christmas hymns, " While shepherds 
 watched," etc., " Hark ! the herald angels sing," 
 " O come, all ye faithful." They then read to- 
 gether the " Old, old story " in St. Luke ii., and the 
 Epistle and Gospel for Christmas Day. After 
 some prayer they felt that, though separated in 
 body, the " joy " of the " good tidings " came fresh 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 91 
 
 to them, as to all the dear ones in the far-off home- 
 land. The ladies were able to travel again at 
 night. 
 
 By 7.30 on Christmas morning the whole party 
 was re-united again at the Udiunzi River. Several 
 of the porters went on straight to Nzoi, where they 
 were to camp that night. John sought and 
 found rest and refreshment in the tent of the Rev. 
 H. W. Weatherhead, and arrangements were made 
 forthwith for a family-party Christmas dinner. 
 This was fixed for one o'clock, and was to be 
 preceded by a short service. The latter, however, 
 fell through, as the fatigue of the preceding night's 
 journey sent Dr. Baxter, Mr. Clayton, and John 
 into a sound sleep, and the others had to attend to 
 the invalid ladies. The boy cooks made a mis- 
 take in the hour and announced dinner at 11.45. 
 Soup, fish (sardines), venison, and a pudding given 
 to Mr. Weatherhead by a parishioner of St. George's, 
 Tufnell Park, corn flour, apple rings, and coffee, 
 made up the repast. Hymns succeeded, and Dr. 
 Baxter led in prayer. A start was made for Nzoi 
 at 3.15. On the way John saw what he describes 
 as " the most glorious sight he had ever seen." 
 The sun was setting behind Kilimanjaro, which 
 was covered with snow and ice. It would be im- 
 possible (he says) to paint adequately its beauty 
 
92 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 and loveliness. The larger peak was visible, like a 
 monster teacup reversed, and the sun threw an 
 edging of gold all along the snow-line. The 
 natives call the mountain "the abode of the gods," 
 and it is certainly more celestial than earthly in its 
 appearance. He sat on, watching the sun sinking 
 behind the mountain, and then pressed forward, 
 expecting to reach the camp immediately. But 
 Christmas Day was not to end as happily as it 
 began. After walking about three-quarters of a 
 mile, he found himself under a lofty hill on the 
 right, and about 500 yards from a river on the left. 
 It grew dark fast, and he was clearly on the wrong 
 path. He stood still and shouted. Presently voices 
 came from the distance, only to die away, as some 
 of the porters crossed the ford of the river, and 
 went on to camp. It was now quite dark, except 
 for the feeble light of a few stars, and he began to 
 look out for a tree in which to spend the night. 
 At last his shouts were heard. Shouting each 
 moment, and waiting for the answer, he went 
 straight for the river through reeds higher than his 
 head. Three or four Askaris were in the river bed, 
 and presently the headman of the caravan, who, 
 on hearing the shouting, had turned back, piloted 
 him another three miles or more, and he reached 
 the camp safely at eight. 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 93 
 
 The Sunday following was spent by the mis- 
 sionary party with some missionaries of the 
 " African Inland Mission " at Kerungu. They 
 were hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. 
 Allen. A celebration of Holy Communion, with 
 an address from Mr. Clayton, and hymns, hallowed 
 the day. Heavy showers fell later on — so heavy 
 that, at night, tents began to collapse. The Askaris 
 and " boys " were some distance off, and the tents 
 came tumbling down, leaving the occupants ex- 
 posed to the full fury of the pitiless rain. Next 
 day they marched along the bed of a river or 
 mountain torrent. They had to cross and re-cross 
 very often, now and then striking across the 
 country to cut off corners where the channel was 
 winding. Firewood was very scarce, and had to 
 be bought from the Wakamba. A small quantity 
 was purchased from a woman for an empty lime- 
 juice bottle. 
 
 At length, on December 30th, they reached 
 Machakos, and were regaled with tea and sugar, 
 and milk from the real cow, after drinking from a 
 " tin " cow for weeks. Machakos is a Government 
 fort, and it was refreshing to see the British 
 Protectorate flag waving over it. This is a blue 
 flag with the Royal Standard at one corner, and 
 the Lion Rampant towards the end. There are 
 
94 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 several native houses in Machakos inhabited by 
 Swahili, and the place seems quite civilized. The 
 Wakamba are very restless at present, and have 
 had to be taught some severe lessons. They have 
 murdered fifteen sentries, and have attacked the 
 fort as late as five months ago. What they need 
 is a strong Mission to be started among them. 
 They are only one out of the many large tribes in 
 Africa who have never had a chance of hearing 
 and receiving the Gospel. Mr. Baskerville holds 
 out hopes that Baganda teachers may be sent out 
 to the Wakamba at some day not far distant. 
 These would pick up the language more quickly 
 than Europeans, and, being more intelligent than 
 the Wakamba, might, by God's blessing, become 
 first-rate teachers. 
 
 On January 6th the party reached Kikuyu, 350 
 miles from the coast, the " half-way house " to 
 Uganda, and received a hearty welcome from the 
 three Englishmen at the Fort. On the way they 
 passed over the shoulders of several very high hills 
 looking down over miles of plain. This vast tract 
 of perfectly level country was uninhabited, and 
 formed a kind of play-ground for antelopes and 
 wild beasts. The river Athi flows near, and the 
 Athi plain was shortly to be apportioned out to 
 English colonists on application to the Govern- 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 95 
 
 ment authorities. Before many years the plain 
 would probably be studded with the homesteads 
 of European settlers, and golden corn wave in 
 all directions. It had been calculated that three 
 crops of corn could be obtained in the course of 
 one year. Here was obtained a splendid view of 
 the two mountains — Kilimanjaro and Kenia. The 
 latter was a fresh delight. It was about seventy 
 miles off. Its appearance was rugged and spiral, 
 and very similar to a Swiss mountain. Just before 
 reaching camp the travellers encountered some 
 natives of the Masai tribe, with sheep and goats 
 which they had raided from the Wakamba. Their 
 spears were still stained with the blood of those 
 whom they had attacked. The Masai are at 
 present a great source of anxiety and difficulty 
 to the British officials. They do no work, agri- 
 cultural or otherwise, and they live by raiding 
 the neighbouring tribes. They drive their stolen 
 herds from pasture to pasture, and literally live by 
 murder and rapine. When on the war-path, they 
 seem entirely devoid of feeling, spearing men, 
 women, and children indiscriminately, and often 
 cruelly torturing their victims before putting them 
 to death. The contrast they present to the Wa- 
 kamba is very marked. These latter are very shy 
 of Europeans, and can hardly be got to come near 
 
96 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 to trade. The Masai walk straight up and shake 
 hands, obviously thinking themselves quite on a 
 par with any Musungu (European). This tribe, as 
 well as the Wakikuyu, have no respect for human 
 life, nor have they ever even heard the Gospel. 
 Some of them, years back, begged Dr. Baxter to 
 live among them and teach them. But at present, 
 with the exception of the newly started " Central 
 African Mission," which, as has before been noticed, 
 works amongst the Wakamba, there is no mis- 
 sionary effort being made for these three tribes. 
 The country all round Kikuyu is very thickly 
 populated. Many villages and stockades, contain- 
 ing unknown numbers of men and women, are 
 hidden among the beautiful hills and trees. No 
 praise or prayer is offered in "the Name which 
 is above every name," because that Name has 
 never been proclaimed to them. The contrast 
 between the great supply of teachers at home, 
 and the unnumbered thousands of heathen in 
 these regions alone, entire strangers to the news 
 of salvation, with no teacher at all, is heart- 
 breaking to contemplate. May the flag of the late 
 East African Company, with its picture of a sun- 
 rise, be indeed a blessed prophecy, and the day 
 be hastened when " the Sun of Righteousness shall 
 arise" upon the darkness of East Africa "with 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 97 
 
 healing in His wings." If this vast country, for 
 which England has made herself responsible, is 
 not to be mocked by a mere godless civilization, 
 Christians in England must see to it at once. 
 
 A very interesting account of a visit to a hea- 
 then gathering is given in one of our young 
 missionary's circular letters. He went with Dr. 
 Cook, Miss Bird, and Miss Timpson to a kraal, 
 about three-quarters of a mile from the Fort, in 
 which live about 2,000 Wakikuyu with their 
 Chief. The Chief is an intelligent man, who has 
 welcomed English protection for himself and his 
 people. Word had been sent that the missionaries 
 were coming to take sketches, so some of the 
 warriors were outside awaiting them. The Waki- 
 kuyu warriors carry long heavy spears, and wear 
 a profusion of beads and brass rings round their 
 necks and arms. The more wealthy of them be- 
 token their superiority by smearing their faces and 
 shoulders with red ochre. The visitors enjoyed a 
 warm reception with hearty hand-shaking. The 
 kraal is quite hidden from view, and contains 
 thatched mud-houses, and is strongly guarded by 
 short stakes. The entrance is through several 
 narrow archways, in height six yards or there- 
 about, formed of stakes thirty feet long driven 
 into the ground. The Chief's twenty-five wives, 
 
 7 
 
98 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 mostly with children strapped to their backs, 
 crowded round with much curiosity. The Chief is 
 a man about thirty-five years of age, and de- 
 cidedly superior to the rest of his tribe. Dr. Cook 
 photographed the Chief with his little son and 
 heir, about six years old, between his knees, 
 while the wives and warriors stood on either side. 
 Some of the houses also were sketched and 
 painted. The children running about were several 
 of them much diseased in their feet and legs, while 
 ophthalmia was common to many, both young and 
 old. It was a striking sight to see Miss Bird 
 speaking to the Chief in Swahili (which he under- 
 stood) of the love of God in Christ. He sat 
 on the ground with several chiefs around. After 
 singing some Swahili hymns, she told him of the 
 Bwana Isa Masieya (Lord Jesus Christ). He knew 
 the name, probably having heard it at the coast, 
 which he had once visited, and where he learned 
 Swahili. Every now and then he passed on to his 
 chiefs in his own tongue what Miss Bird had told 
 him in Swahili. All listened most attentively. 
 Miss Bird's " boy " is a bright Free Town Christian 
 lad. He had accompanied her in order to carry 
 her chair. She told him to say to the Chief that 
 what she spoke of was for the black as well as 
 the white people. The " boy " did so very simply 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 99 
 
 in Swahili, and the Chief seemed to take in all he 
 said. Afterwards Miss Bird asked if he would 
 like some Christian teachers to come to his people. 
 He replied that he would confer with the elders of 
 the tribe, and bring word when he visited the 
 missionaries' camp on the morrow. The visit 
 duly took place. He brought with him eight of 
 his chiefs, and they expressed their willingness to 
 receive a missionary. The Chief much enjoyed 
 his four cups of tea, as well as biscuits, acid drops, 
 and chocolate. It was most amusing to see the 
 guests sitting round, silently munching the cho- 
 colate. The Chief called in at the Fort on his 
 way home, and reported that the English " bibi " 
 (ladies) had filled him well. He was evidently 
 thoroughly satisfied both in mind and body by his 
 reception. Miss Timpson had worked his name 
 on a fez cap, and pinned on a small likeness of 
 the Queen. He was delighted with this, and sat 
 with it on during his visit. He made the party 
 handsome presents of fat sheep on his return. For 
 the first time the Word of Life was thus preached 
 in these parts. The Gospel had never been pro- 
 claimed within a radius of at least 200 miles from 
 this spot The effect of this little visit was to 
 make the preachers more than ever fascinated with 
 the joyous, blessed work to which they had been 
 
ioo JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 called. John adds : " The burden of the thousands 
 of souls sitting in darkness between the coast and 
 Uganda must weigh upon the Church at home, 
 till she gives some of her best sons and daughters 
 for the sowing and the reaping of these ' fields 
 white already to harvest.' Teaching and preach- 
 ing are called for loudly, and we as missionaries 
 can only supply the need by constant learning and 
 praying. I do want to be an apostolic missionary, 
 and give myself continually to prayer and the 
 ministry of the Word. The opportunities and 
 calls for work are unbounded. It is impossible at 
 home to realize what heathenism is — the hopeless- 
 ness and viciousness and cruelty are so great. 
 Whatever remnants of doubt there might be as 
 to whether I did right in coming out here have 
 some time ago fled." 
 
 There was a delay of some days at Kikuyu 
 owing to transport difficulties. The nights were 
 very cold. John had to sleep in pants, flannel 
 trousers, and shirt, pyjama jacket, cholera belt, 
 and flannel belt under two jaeger blankets, one 
 rug, and one shawl ! During breakfast, just be- 
 fore sunrise, the chilliness was often so keen that 
 he had to eat his porridge, etc., wrapped up in 
 shawls. And this on the Equator ! In the morn- 
 ing the water was like iced water. Still the 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 101 
 
 climate is most healthy for Englishmen. Kikuyu 
 had been marked out to be the great half-way 
 centre for the railway. But, as it is perched at 
 a height of 6,000 or more feet above the sea, 
 difficulties are anticipated in bringing the line up 
 so high. Possibly the nearest station will be 
 about twenty miles off, and a branch line will be 
 run to Kikuyu. The natives are most unwilling 
 to part with their land for that or any other pur- 
 pose, and it is exceedingly difficult to induce them 
 to barter and trade. Under the Company, the 
 officials took a very high hand, and walked off 
 with what flocks and goods they needed, not 
 always paying anything in return. The same 
 officials — now under Government — have had to 
 treat the natives with more consideration. The 
 country is being rapidly opened up, and very 
 lately Kikuyu has been put within the Postal 
 Union. John had two attacks of fever while at 
 Kikuyu within three days, but, thanks to the 
 care and treatment of Dr. Baxter, was enabled 
 quickly to throw them off. His "boy," Thomas, 
 too, was most attentive when his "Bwana" was 
 ill. At times it seemed impossible to get warm. 
 Malarial fever makes a man shiver inside and 
 out — through and through. After piling all avail- 
 able blankets on the bed Thomas literally heaped 
 
102 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 clothes upon the top, and then the shivering 
 changed to perspiration. 
 
 Kikuyu was left on the 16th, after a substantial 
 lunch at the Fort, picnic fashion. The party set 
 out along a path made by the Government, and 
 camped, after a 5 J miles march, near a remark- 
 able swamp. It is really a lake in a most beauti- 
 ful situation. It is covered on the surface with 
 six inches of grass and duckweed. The water 
 is very deep, and clear underneath. The natives 
 have made paths across the surface, which look 
 most unsafe. No Englishman has yet ventured 
 across. It being found that the bullock cart 
 could not carry enough food to allow of a Sunday 
 rest, the travellers had to march on the Sunday. 
 They tramped 17 \ miles, enjoying most exquisite 
 mountain views. The first part of the walk was 
 through beautiful English park-like scenery with 
 many flowers. Everything was very green, as 
 there is rain at this time of year almost nightly. 
 The breeze was fresh and invigorating, and quite 
 braced John up after his attacks of fever. At 
 one point in the march they were at a height of 
 7,400 feet above sea-level. Looking down, they 
 saw mountain rising above mountain, the inter- 
 vening plain-land studded with trees and rocks, 
 shadowed now and again by passing clouds in 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 103 
 
 the sunshine. Each successive camp seemed 
 more beautiful than the last. The sky in these 
 parts is exquisitely blue and clear. They de- 
 scended the steep encampment to the lower plain, 
 and found themselves at the site of the attack of 
 Masai on Mr. Dick's caravan in November, 1895, 
 just after the last missionary party had passed 
 that way. Mr. Dick, with two other Europeans, 
 was returning to the coast with a number of 
 porters. The latter interfered with some of the 
 Masai, and opened their cattle kraal, letting out 
 their cows. The Masai protested, but were pushed 
 aside by the porters. One of the Askaris at last 
 fired at a Masai. They then raised their war- 
 cry, and thousands of Masai rushed down the 
 hills upon the caravan. They speared twenty 
 Swahili or Wakikuyu porters, as well as Mr. 
 Dick himself. About eighteen Askaris and the 
 two other Europeans stood in a circle, and kept 
 back the Masai with their rifles ; the porters were, 
 of course, unarmed. A short time after this 
 massacre the late Sir Gerald Portal was met 
 here by some Masai chiefs on his way up country. 
 They declared that they did not wish to fight the 
 Europeans, but were quite prepared to do so if 
 forced. The missionary party reached camp at 
 2 p.m. on the Sunday afternoon, at the foot of 
 
io4 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 some mountains covered with trees, and close to 
 a shallow, bubbling river. Dr. Baxter did not 
 come in till 3.30, as he had stayed behind 
 to struggle with the obstreperous bullocks in the 
 cart. They persisted in lying down in the road 
 with their necks tightly fixed under the yokes. 
 The Holy Communion was celebrated at 5 in 
 Mr. Baskerville's tent. Hymns followed, and a 
 blessed time of soul refreshment was enjoyed. 
 At night there was a tremendous wind, and the 
 tent seemed to be in danger of being blown 
 away. John writes : " We had visions of pursu- 
 ing and stalking our tents in the early morning 
 across the mountains ! It did not come to this, 
 owing to the exertions of Dr. Baxter, who seemed 
 to spend half the night going from tent to tent 
 fastening down the ropes and pegs." 
 
 A short march of Sh miles on Monday was 
 followed by a much longer one of 2oh miles on 
 Tuesday. They started at 5.45 a.m. The sun- 
 rise upon the mountains was most grand. 
 They skirted Lake Naivasha for about eight 
 miles, passing two extinct volcanoes. The love- 
 liness of the scenery here passed description. 
 John compares the air to Cromer air, only as 
 more invigorating and less chilling. The climate 
 was most bracing and yet warm, and the nights 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 105 
 
 not so bitterly cold as at Kikuyu. Every day 
 found them on the march, including two Sundays, 
 until they arrived at the Fort in Eldoma Ravine 
 on January 27th. The two Sunday marches were 
 exceptionally long — one of 19 miles, and the 
 other of 22J miles. Scarcity of porters' food 
 compelled them to press on. Major Smith was 
 in command of the Nubian troops at Naivasha 
 Fort. His love for Africa had caused him to 
 refuse the colonelcy of one of the Guards' regi- 
 ments which had been offered him. He sent 
 into camp a large quantity of delicious fresh 
 milk, which proved a most welcome change on 
 " Nestle?' Twice only had the party enjoyed 
 bread and butter since leaving the coast. At 
 this time the transport service from the coast was 
 almost at a standstill, so many of the porters 
 being employed on the railway. A few bullock 
 waggons were running; but the first 150 miles 
 from the coast are fatal to cattle owing to the 
 tsetse fly, at least 50 per cent, dying before 
 Kibwezi can be reached. All this difficulty will 
 disappear when once the railway is constructed. 
 The country through which the caravan had been 
 passing lately abounds in game. Dr. Baxter and 
 other sportsmen in the company kept the table 
 well supplied with zebra and antelope flesh. 
 
io6 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Soup made from zebra's brain was a luxury, un- 
 known, indeed, in England, but much relished. 
 On Sundays the rule was — " No shooting ! " 
 This showed the Swahili porters that the mis- 
 sionaries reverenced the first day of the week. 
 As might be expected, the game seemed to come 
 specially near on the Sundays. On one Sun- 
 day in particular two hyaenas, some beautifully 
 marked antelopes, and an ostrich, passed close to 
 the caravan. They all seemed to realize that they 
 were safe that day from rifles and bullets. Lions 
 were not so troublesome as formerly, but the 
 Askaris, who were watching the donkeys, reported 
 that two lions gazed very longingly at the steeds 
 one night near to their " boma," but, fearing the 
 camp fires, at last slunk away. Elephants have 
 appeared on the scene, and their marks were 
 visible everywhere. At Naivasha the party found 
 a German explorer and scientist encamped for 
 the night. He had been touring in British East 
 Africa to compare it with the portion of country 
 which had fallen to his own " Fatherland." Be- 
 fore leaving his camp he had strewn the ground 
 with poisoned meat, to destroy some of the many 
 hyaenas. The result was that all round the 
 camping ground lay dead hyaenas and vultures. 
 One of the ladies lost a little dog, which she had 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 107 
 
 brought from Mombasa. It died in ten minutes. 
 The camp was most unpleasant owing to the 
 number of decaying bodies, which had attracted 
 the " siafu " — the biting ants — which are the scav- 
 engers of the country. In the evening Miss Taylor 
 found her tent besieged by " siafu," and the As- 
 karis had to move it. They found her out again 
 and she had to beat a hasty retreat into Miss 
 Timpson's tent. Early next morning they rushed 
 Dr. Baxter's tent. They march along in millions, 
 and, as they bite fiercely, carry all before them. 
 When they take it into their heads to march 
 through a tent, or over a bed, there is nothing for 
 it but for the owner to clear out and leave them 
 in possession. John found several in his pith 
 helmet, and suffered accordingly. The camp was 
 by the side of a large salt lake with beautiful 
 craggy hills on the farther side, and, had it not 
 been for the nuisance just mentioned, would have 
 been most comfortable. 
 
 On Sunday, the 24th, the caravan struck off 
 on the " New Road," which has been made during 
 the last eighteen months between Kikuyu and 
 Lake Victoria. It is a rough road, made for 
 bullock carts, and ascending most of the hills. 
 It is, moreover, very dangerous, as the natives in 
 that part, the Wakamasiya, are rather inclined 
 
108 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 to attack European caravans. This people resent 
 the European appropriation of their country, the 
 new road passing through their cultivated lands. 
 They had destroyed a local mail bag about ten 
 days before, also killing a man and a child. After 
 leaving Naivasha on the Friday following, just 
 after the tents were put up, a caravan came from 
 up country belonging to Mr. Berkeley — the Con- 
 sul or Commissioner of Uganda. He is successor 
 to Sir Gerald Portal, and was then on his way 
 to Europe on furlough. When he came in sight, 
 Dr. Baxter went to meet him. He turned into 
 John's tent for tea and biscuits. He was accom- 
 panied by Mr. Jackson, in command of the fort 
 at Eldoma Ravine, the official who gave the first 
 Company's flag to King Mwanga. That night 
 the missionary party entertained Mr. Berkeley at 
 quite a grand dinner in two of the tents placed 
 end to end. The ladies and the black coolies 
 were very busy all the afternoon preparing, and 
 the result was very creditable. The entertainment 
 was wound up with the National Anthem, sung 
 standing, at the highly respectable hour of 8.45 
 p.m. The Baganda porters and boys thought it 
 a great privilege to have the important Musungu 
 Chief Bwana Berkeley to dinner. The boys who 
 waited at table dressed up in their very best, 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 109 
 
 " which," John remarks, " was wonderful to be- 
 hold." Mr. Berkeley has done his utmost to 
 further missionary work in Uganda, and the time 
 spent with him was very enjoyable. 
 
 The next day the caravan dared the perils of 
 the New Road, and reached the Fort at Eldoma 
 Ravine in safety. It was necessary to have a 
 strong guard of Askaris, and to keep them awake 
 at their posts. They are a sleepy set, and, to 
 keep one another awake, they shout Arabic 
 numbers every few minutes. Still they have to 
 be overlooked and watched, lest somnolency 
 should prevail. The Fort is on a hill about 400 
 feet high, and the tents were pitched close by, 
 about 150 feet lower. The Wakamasiya men- 
 tioned above looked a fine set of men. They had 
 plenty of paint on their bodies, and were armed 
 with spears and shields all ready for action. 
 John notes it as a remarkable thing that the 
 tribal name with one of its syllables omitted is 
 the Swahili name for " Christian." " Wakama- 
 sieya " = " people of Masieya (Christ)." There are 
 no Christian Missions among them, and they have 
 never heard of the Saviour. He adds : " May 
 the Wamasiya soon become Wamasieya! They 
 will then no longer wish to spear and shoot with 
 arrows those who are brethren ! Will those at 
 
no JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 home remember the tribe — just one more among 
 the many we pass who sit in darkness and the 
 shadow of death ? " Interesting details follow of 
 a Government Road party of about 500 men, 
 which was encountered returning from Port 
 Victoria on the Victoria Nyanza. It consisted 
 mostly of Indians, with about 400 head of cattle, 
 and neat iron bullock waggons. There were in 
 the caravan a number of Beloochees, who had 
 come over from Kurrachee. The next caravan 
 met with was one made up of Arabs, Swahilis, 
 and " Bluchers," with 2,000 donkeys. They had 
 been up into Abyssinia to buy ivory, and were 
 now returning to the coast after three years' 
 absence. Here was a chance not to be despised ! 
 Dr. Baxter bought thirty donkeys to replace 
 those disabled or dead. The ladies bought a 
 donkey each for their own use in Uganda, and 
 Mr. Baskerville bought three. They are most 
 useful on itinerating work. Several little donkeys 
 were born on our Safari, and trotted along gamely 
 when but a few hours old. It is not, perhaps, 
 wonderful that only one survived. 
 
 The Eldoma Ravine is very famous. But a 
 visit to it is attended with some risk, as the 
 Wamasiya lurk amongst the trees and hills to 
 shoot at stray travellers. However, the three 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT in 
 
 ladies and two other members of the party 
 (including John) were escorted to the Ravine by 
 Dr. Macpherson, who is stationed at the fort with 
 a guard of half a dozen Soudanese troops (prob- 
 ably once part of Emin Pasha's army). There 
 are to be seen a fine waterfall with a descent 
 of more than ioo feet, fresh green trees, ferns 
 clothing all the bottom of the Ravine, which goes 
 down from 300 to 400 feet, and has a width of 
 650 feet. Altogether it is a very romantic spot. 
 A graphic description follows of the manner 
 and order of the daily march. The horn is blown 
 at 5. A few minutes later the caravan drum is 
 beaten by one of the Askaris. Half an hour 
 after that it is beaten again as a signal for the 
 taking down of the tents — the boxes, beds, etc., 
 having to be packed up during the interval. 
 Breakfast is partaken of in the open air, and the 
 plates, spoons, etc., as soon as done with, pounced 
 upon by the " boys," who are anxious to set off 
 before the heat succeeds the coldness. The sun 
 is then beginning to throw ever-brightening tints 
 on the mountains. The air is often like that 
 of a frosty English morning. There is time and 
 opportunity for a quiet reading of the morning 
 psalms alone. And then comes the start all 
 together. The new camp is reached at different 
 
ii2 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 times in the morning or afternoon, according to 
 circumstances. Biscuits and potted meat are 
 carried for lunch, with water bottles. The " tent " 
 loads always leave camp first, so as to be in the 
 new camp as early as possible. The tents are 
 put up about half an hour after arrival. The 
 caravan proper, headed by the drum, is often 
 nearly an hour later. Then, after a little delay, 
 comes change of garments, and a cold bath, where 
 the quantity and quality of the water render it 
 possible. After lunch, which is necessarily a 
 movable feast, follows reading and a special 
 study of Luganda. A Muganda Christian porter 
 named Eriya used to come to John's tent every 
 afternoon, and they read St. Matthew's Gospel 
 together. John writes of him : " I don't know 
 whether I help him much, but he certainly does 
 my own soul good. His earnest, thoughtful face, 
 as we read together the Word of Life, speaks 
 more plainly than any words of his love for it. 
 He is far too good for a porter. ... I should 
 much like to have him as a catechist when we 
 reach Uganda. He has a wife in Mengo, who, 
 with him, was instructed by Mr. Millar and Mr. 
 Roscoe. They were both baptized together. The 
 joy of being able to speak a little to these men 
 is very great. It is a real anticipation of the joy 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 113 
 
 awaiting us in the work when we can speak more 
 fluently. 
 
 When there happens to be a day off, the 
 missionary's occupations are manifold. Button- 
 sewing, blanket-stitching, jinricksha-mending, test 
 his skill as an all-round man, and he generally 
 comes off successfully. 
 
 Four days' march, in which a distance of fifty- 
 five miles was covered, brought the caravan to Fort 
 Nandi, fifty miles from Lake Victoria Nyanza. 
 It arrived there on Sunday, the 31st January, 
 escorted by Captain Bagnall with his Nubian 
 troops. The march was terribly uphill, the 
 camp having to be pitched at an altitude of 9,500 
 feet in one place. The way led through several 
 thick forests, composed of a variety of beautiful 
 trees, some of them 200 feet in height. Bamboo 
 trees were common. They grow very tall, and 
 are most graceful. The porters were glad of the 
 opportunity to replenish their supply of tent- 
 poles, which they cut from the bamboos. African 
 forts are generally very unsubstantial erections. 
 They consist of an enclosure surrounded by loose 
 stones or wooden stakes. The entrances are two 
 or three drawbridges of a rough pattern, guarded 
 by sentries, who salute every European in a rough- 
 and-ready fashion. Below the wall of defence 
 
 8 
 
ii 4 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 outside is a steep trench, and any natives attempt- 
 ing to scale the wall would be easily shot down 
 whilst in the trench. All round, beyond the 
 trench, is a line of barbed wire. Inside the en- 
 closure are a number of huts, where the garrison 
 live with their wives. The Nubian soldiers have 
 at least six wives apiece, who work for them, 
 and carry their tents and goods on the march. 
 Each man makes his own private mark with a 
 knife upon his wives' cheeks and arms. The scars 
 thus caused do not add to their beauty. They 
 carry their infants — native fashion — strapped to the 
 back, in addition to the load upon the head. Floating 
 over each fort is the " Union Jack," claiming the 
 country for England. John remarks here, " May 
 the Church of Christ soon claim the souls of its 
 inhabitants for Him! The men and women will 
 then look on one another as heirs together of the 
 grace of eternal life ! What a glorious change ! " 
 
 The Wa-nandi tribe — now reached — have 
 neither Mission station nor Christian teacher 
 amongst them. They are a fine race of men, 
 and have their own marked distinction in appear- 
 ance and language from other tribes. A crowd 
 assembled round the missionary party when they 
 were having their first meal. John offered one of 
 the spear-armed warriors a few crumbs of cabinet 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 115 
 
 biscuits. He took them readily, examined very 
 carefully the Musungu's food, but was afraid to 
 eat any. Mr. Clayton gave a girl a potted meat 
 pie with a few pieces of meat. She put some in 
 her mouth, but her father, who was near, would 
 not allow her to swallow it. The Wa-nandi think 
 the food is charmed, and that it will poison them. 
 In Africa every one's hand is against his fellow, 
 and so every one is suspicious of every one else. 
 An English service was held in two tents 
 placed together at 5 p.m., at which John officiated 
 as chaplain, speaking from 2 Corinthians iv. 5. 
 (This address is particularly referred to in letters of 
 Dr. Cook and Mr. Clayton after his home-call.) 
 There was a specially sweet realization of the 
 Divine Presence, and much fervour in prayer. 
 Amongst the congregation were Mr. Bagge, the 
 civilian in charge of the Fort, and a young Ameri- 
 can, who was on his way to Mengo to take charge 
 of some stores, which were to be opened there by 
 Messrs. Smith and Mackenzie of Mombasa. The 
 opportunities which the Europeans at the various 
 forts have of attending public worship are so few, 
 and their influence for good or ill is so great, 
 that the responsibility of " speaking in the Name 
 of Jesus" in their presence is no slight one. 1 
 
 1 See testimony as to this sermon in two letters. 
 
n6 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 After the evening meal Mr. Baskerville and Dr. 
 Baxter held services, as usual, for the Swahili and 
 Baganda in the caravan, and the next day, at 
 7.30, seven of the missionaries enjoyed blessed 
 and refreshing fellowship with one another and 
 the Lord at His table. 
 
 The next day, and the day following, marches 
 of above twelve miles were accomplished down 
 towards the lake, in the shade of thick leafy 
 forests, under a warmer atmosphere. John had 
 the great pleasure here of meeting for a few 
 minutes a Plumstead friend — Mr. McAllister, the 
 son of the Vicar of St. Nicolas, Plumstead. He 
 is connected with the Government in the Uganda 
 Protectorate, and was then on his way to the 
 coast. But a greater pleasure still was in store — 
 the arrival of the mail with long-expected letters 
 from home. Let us describe the scene in John's 
 own words. " What a rush there was for letters ! 
 There were, besides Government bags, twelve 
 C.M.S. bags containing letters, papers and parcels. 
 The way-bills were eagerly searched, and most 
 of the sacking of these bags was ripped up, as 
 our letters were some in one bag, some in another. 
 These were our first letters from home since about 
 November 25th. A large bath was brought out, 
 and all letters belonging to our party were hastily 
 
THE JOURNEY TO THE FRONT 117 
 
 thrown in, as they were discovered in the various 
 bags. A good bath-load was the result of the 
 searching. Then each fished out his or her own 
 property, and during the rest of the day the camp 
 was absolutely quiet, so far as the Europeans were 
 concerned. It is impossible to answer all the 
 pile of most welcome letters from warm-hearted 
 friends by this mail, which goes away to-morrow. 
 I will answer them individually (all well) by the 
 mail which reaches England about the end of 
 May. Fresh news is among the " all things " 
 which a missionary to Central Africa and his 
 friends have to give up. I think, if friends in 
 England could have seen our delight in getting 
 letters, they would have felt well repaid for their 
 labour of love in writing." John received at this 
 time the welcome intelligence of the birth of a 
 nephew at Walton, and sent special congratula- 
 tions to its "grandparents." 
 
 The next two days the heat proved excessive, 
 and the caravan was compelled to halt before 1 1 
 o'clock. They passed out of the country of the 
 Wa-nandi into that of the Wa-kavirondo on the 
 north-east of the Victoria Nyanza. These latter 
 are quite a different people, both in customs and 
 appearance, from any hitherto encountered. Their 
 houses are neater than those of any other. They 
 
n8 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 swarmed into the camp as soon as the tents were 
 pitched, bringing sheep, honey, eggs, bananas, etc., 
 etc., for sale. The exchange was made with chains 
 of beads and copper-wire brought from the coast. 
 It is very amusing to note the different fashions 
 as to beads in the various districts. At one place 
 they must be pink and large ; at another, red, and 
 square. The Wa-kavirondos' ideas of " dress " are 
 limited to the wearing of a few strings of beads 
 round the neck. A clergyman in England some 
 time ago offered to support two missionaries to 
 work amongst this people. Up to the present 
 time the men, alas ! have not been forthcoming, 
 and this tribe, like all the rest, is in complete 
 ignorance of God's way of salvation. 
 
Chapter VII 
 
 ARRIVAL IN UGANDA AND DEPARTURE FOR TORO 
 
 "Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God." — 
 Ps. lxviii. 31. 
 
 AT length, on Monday, February 15th, after 
 over eleven weeks' tramp, Mengo was 
 reached by those of the party who crossed the 
 Victoria Nyanza from Kavirondo. The voyage 
 was most interesting. It commenced at midday 
 on Thursday, the nth, in the small steam launch 
 Rnwenzori) the joint property of the C.M.S. and 
 Messrs. Boustead & Ridley, of Mombasa. The 
 travellers had to sleep on board that night, the 
 ladies packed into the small cabin, and the six 
 men sleeping on the cabin roof, " lying," as John 
 says, " like a layer of sardines." The Lake was 
 most beautiful, with several islands in sight in the 
 moonlight. Next day, there being no coal in those 
 ports, and firewood running short, they went 
 ashore in Pringle Bay to replenish their stores. 
 
 "9 
 
120 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Here they stayed all the next day while the 
 natives cut down wood. These were Wasoga (the 
 people of Busoga), and very hospitable, although 
 they have the reputation of being great thieves. 
 The party breakfasted and pitched their tents 
 among lovely banana groves. In a village close 
 by they found some " lubare " huts outside the 
 native dwellings. These are built as habitations 
 for spirits, and resemble tiny native huts. On the 
 Saturday the camp was pitched on the island of 
 Ugaza. The people were very much alarmed, 
 breaking up their market when the steamer ap- 
 proached. Most of them fled over the hills or in 
 their canoes. Those who remained were friendly, 
 and, in the evening, some native Christians came to 
 the ladies, asking them to read and pray. These 
 had been instructed and baptized at Mengo, and 
 had returned about three weeks before to teach 
 their fellow-islanders. They begged hard for 
 books, having only one Testament among them. 
 But this need could not then be supplied. A start 
 forward had to be made the next day (Sunday, 
 February 7th), as there was again a difficulty 
 about firewood and food supply. That afternoon 
 a descent was made on the mainland, and the 
 missionary party stood for the first time on the 
 soil of Uganda. In the evening a service was 
 
ARRIVAL IN UGANDA 121 
 
 held ; Mr. Clayton read the Church Prayers, and 
 hymns followed outside the ladies' tent. There 
 were only three tents between nine people. On 
 Monday, for the last time, they embarked on the 
 Ruwenzori. Leaving Port Alice away to the west, 
 they steamed almost due north to Munyonya, the 
 nearest landing-place to Mengo, where they 
 arrived at noon. For the last time they dropped 
 themselves and their luggage into the native 
 canoes which came alongside. For the last time 
 they clung to the backs of stalwart natives, who 
 waded with them through swampy mud and reeds, 
 landing them within seven miles of the capital. 
 A messenger was sent forward to announce their 
 arrival. Meanwhile, with hearts full of gratitude 
 to God for journeying mercies, under spreading 
 palm and banana trees, they sang the Doxology, 
 and John read part of the Consecration Prayer 
 in the Communion Office aloud, all joining in the 
 Lord's Prayer. 
 
 After making the necessary arrangements in 
 regard to their luggage they began their walk. 
 The time of their arrival was not known, or they 
 would have been met. The first person to greet 
 them when they had got on about two miles was 
 Mr. Leakey, of Koki, whom John well remembered 
 as an undergraduate at Corpus Christi College, 
 
122 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Cambridge. He came running, bathed in per- 
 spiration, having made all haste forward as soon 
 as the messenger arrived. He reported that the 
 ladies were not far behind. What followed shall 
 be given in John's own words : " By this time 
 men and boys, with long, spotless, white robes, 
 ran to and from us, bringing us greetings, and 
 running back to tell the Mengo missionaries. The 
 Uganda salutation is unique. The men and boys 
 stoop, and, placing their hands on their knees, say 
 1 Otyano ? ' ( how are you, sir ?). The answer to 
 this is a grunt, 'Aye/ to which the one first 
 addressed says, * Aye.' After this you tell them 
 that you are 'bulungi' (quite well). The polite 
 inquirer then asks, ' Agapayo ? ' (how are things at 
 home ?). You then assure him they too are 
 ' mungi ' (in a satisfactory condition). You are 
 then expected to inquire after the Muganda health 
 and domestic affairs. The particular salutations 
 of the different tribes on the way were very 
 interesting. The Swahili say ' Yambo ' (a word 
 with you). The Masai say * Horo,' the meaning 
 of which is uncertain. The Wa-kavirondos' is the 
 best. They greet a stranger with i Emirembe ' 
 (peace). Grunts form a great part of the Luganda 
 salutation, and the right intonations are most 
 important. But to return to our walk to Mengo. 
 
ARRIVAL IN UGANDA 123 
 
 Three of the Mission ladies met us, and rushed into 
 the arms of the three who had come with us. 
 Women belonging to the Church were with them, 
 and greeted the new ladies most affectionately. 
 Next we met the Archdeacon (the Ven. R. H. 
 Walker), the Rev. A. J. Pike, and another lady. 
 We were now nearing the hill from which the 
 church at the top had been seen for some time. 
 The hill Namerembi is all church property ; it is 
 covered with banana trees, among which the mis- 
 sionaries' houses are built. We met Miss Furley 
 here near to the King's Compound. The Katikiro 
 (prime minister) lives opposite the king's big en- 
 trance. He is a Christian, and most regular at 
 church. Hearing of our arrival, he came to his 
 gate and welcomed us warmly. The Katikiro is a 
 fine man in every sense of the word. He has ac- 
 tually more power than Mwanga, the king. Our 
 appearance in the fine roads had attracted much 
 attention ; men, women, and children pressing 
 round to clasp our hands. As may be imagined, 
 the Uganda salutation, even when somewhat cur- 
 tailed, causes no small delay when rehearsed again 
 and again. ' Had we had a good journey ? ' ' We 
 rejoice to see you : ' these and such-like greetings 
 abounded. The warm-heartedness of this truly 
 wonderful people has not been at all exaggerated. 
 
i2 4 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 We felt at home at once. Among the crowd were 
 Mohammedans, who looked on indifferently, while 
 Roman Catholic Christians also mostly held aloof. 
 Some of the latter however shook hands cordially. 
 Dr. Baxter, Mr. Clayton and I were sheltered and 
 fed that night at the house of the Rev. E. Millar, 
 Dr. Baxter sleeping on his dining-room table ! 
 The houses are built of reeds. They are mostly 
 cool, but only last about three years, if they 
 escape being burnt down sooner. Fires often 
 occur, chiefly through the custom of making wood 
 fire on the floors, the smoke ascending to the lofty 
 arched roof without any chimney. . . . 
 
 " On waking at 5.30 we heard drums being 
 beaten in the compound of the Christian chiefs, as 
 the men and boys live at some distance from one 
 another. The chiefs summon them thus to 
 Family Prayers morning by morning. Classes 
 are held in the buildings round, and in the 
 church itself, from 8 to 9 a.m. At 9 one of the 
 native clergy takes the service. The daily morn- 
 ing service is wonderful. The church is quite half 
 full with a congregation of men, women, and 
 growing children. The Katikiro sits on a chair 
 in the front with his children at his feet. All the 
 rest sit, as is usual with natives, on the floor. 
 Most bring mats — also their Testaments and 
 
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 D 
 
 6 
 
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 W 
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 P4 
 
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ARRIVAL IN UGANDA 125 
 
 hymn books, and the rustle of turning over leaves 
 is very marked. One of the ladies leads the 
 singing on a small portable harmonium — an 
 instrument quite inadequate. Mr. Wilson has 
 ordered a £60 organ as a gift to his church, and 
 it is now on its way. 
 
 " The first afternoon several of us went to see 
 the king with Mr. Millar and Mr. Leakey. Many 
 courtyards, containing loungers and hangers-on, 
 were passed through before we came to the wait- 
 ing-house close to the palace. We were not kept 
 waiting long, and entered the palace — a well- 
 built, two-storied house, with a staircase (the only 
 one I have seen). Ascending this, we were 
 ushered into the royal presence, after being 
 warned not to tread on the king's carpet. 
 Mwanga is better looking than most of his pic- 
 tures make him, and is a shrewd fellow. He 
 rose, and received us courteously. We shook 
 hands in European fashion, and then sat on the 
 stools which attendants brought in. The king 
 sat on the floor, with a courtier by his side facing 
 him, whose attentions and fawnings disgusted us. 
 Mwanga asked our names, and tried to learn them. 
 He then asked if we had seen the Queen in Eng- 
 land ; also, how old she was. Hearing that she 
 was nearly eighty, he was much surprised. 
 
126 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Africans rarely live to anything approaching this 
 age. His next question was, ' Have you any 
 coats or waistcoats to sell ? ' Mr. Whitehouse 
 replied that he had a waistcoat to spare, and the 
 next afternoon Mwanga sent for it. Mr. Millar 
 and Mr. Leakey talked and laughed with the 
 king, and, when anything was said which made 
 the king laugh, the courtier at once laughed too. 
 The latter watched the king's every movement, 
 the king, when amused, holding out his hand, 
 which the courtier pressed with both his own. 
 Mwanga sang us a song, accompanying it him- 
 self with his native lyre. We soon afterwards 
 took leave." 
 
 On the day of his arrival at Mengo, John re- 
 ceived his appointment to Toro — a huge district 
 5,000 square miles or so in extent, 200 miles 
 from Mengo, " a region of snow mountains and 
 pigmies " (as he calls it), almost in the very heart 
 of Africa, the most distant Mission from the East 
 Coast. It has been worked since last May by 
 Mr. Fisher and Mr. Lloyd, the former of whom is 
 returning to England on furlough. It forms part 
 of the Uganda general Protectorate, and there 
 are, therefore, resident European officers. The 
 language is not Luganda, though akin to it, but 
 the teaching is done in Luganda, as there are no 
 
DEPARTURE FOR TORO 127 
 
 printed books in the vernacular. John remarks : 
 " This is the post to which the senior missionaries 
 here appoint me. After all the prayer offered 
 for their guidance, it must be the Divine Will, 
 and I ask most earnestly the prayers and praises 
 of all who read this circular letter. It was never 
 my wish to be a country parson, but I am going 
 to be one on a rather large scale." The name of 
 the King of Toro is Kasagama, and the country 
 is called " Kasagama's," and is situated at the 
 foot of the Ruwenzori Mountain. The king was 
 baptized in Mengo last March, after instruction 
 by Baganda teachers. The next two or three days 
 were taken up mainly by preparations for the 
 journey. As no provisions could be obtained on 
 the way to Toro it was necessary to lay in a 
 good supply. 
 
 On Sunday, February 22nd, the usual service 
 was held in the cathedral church at Mengo at 
 8. There must have been nearly a thousand 
 people present. Mr. Baskerville preached the 
 sermon. The service was finished by 11. 
 About 300 native Christians received the Holy 
 Communion. There was a second service at 3, 
 when the Rev. H. R. Sugden (a visitor) preached. 
 
 The Church Council, in which the native church 
 members are much interested, is held twice a week 
 
128 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 in the vestry under the presidency of the Rev. H. 
 Wright Duta, with all the European missionaries 
 as friendly assessors. Many most serious offences 
 committed by communicants have to be dealt 
 with. When a native Christian becomes slack in 
 the Christian race, he falls down to even below the 
 heathen standard of morality, if such a standard 
 exists at all. The results are most deplorable. 
 Mengo needs much the prayers as well as the 
 praises of the Church at home. 
 
 On Monday an expedition was made to visit 
 Mtesa's tomb, part of which was built by 
 Alexander Mackay. It forms a kind of native 
 thatched mausoleum, and several heathen at- 
 tendants are always present. Mr. Leakey ven- 
 tured to take up one of the spear-heads which 
 surround it, but the attendants remonstrated, 
 fearing that the spirit, in whose honour they were 
 placed there, would resent it. Mtesa is known 
 among the Baganda to-day as the Mukaba, " the 
 man who made the people cry." The capital of 
 Uganda seems to have been moved from one to 
 another of the many hills at the decease of each 
 king. A visit was next paid to Mtesa's sister, a 
 Christian woman, who lives near her brother's 
 burial-place. Several people were visiting her, 
 as she was ill, and two dear little princesses about 
 
DEPARTURE FOR TORO 129 
 
 eight years old ran out to meet us. The royal 
 lady was lying on her couch, troubled with a 
 cough, surrounded by sympathetic friends. The 
 party were warmly welcomed, and she displayed 
 much interest in hearing of the different parts of 
 the country to which they were going. On the 
 walls hung several Luganda texts and a C.M.S. 
 almanack for 1897. A visit just at this time to 
 Archdeacon Walker was most helpful to our 
 young missionary. He was able to tell him a great 
 deal about Toro, and, as the archdeacon knew 
 Norwich well, it was pleasant and cheering to talk 
 over Norwich and friends there. Only that 
 morning, when reading of the sheep gate in St. 
 John's Gospel, Mika Sematimba had mentioned 
 the sheep market on Norwich hill. He had been 
 much struck, when visiting that city, with the 
 sheep in their pens in the market. 
 
 About this time John writes to Miss Durnford : 
 " May I beg your constant and fervent prayer 
 for me and the Lord's work in Toro ? Please ask 
 others for the same. At present there is no sign 
 of anything like the awakening which has taken 
 place in Mengo and Uganda. But ' God is able,' 
 and the prayers of you and others will be abun- 
 dantly answered. Hearts will be opened by the 
 Holy Ghost. We shall be ' workers together 
 
 9 
 
130 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 with ' one another and with Him. Missionary 
 news will not, I expect, be of an exciting kind for 
 some time at least. It will be a time of patient 
 sowing the seed in faith. It seems quite the 
 proper thing to say that there is no comparison 
 between the needs of England and heathen coun- 
 tries. The sins — many too awful to speak of — 
 and the ignorance of the people appal any Chris- 
 tian after the comparatively high public opinion 
 of even worldly people in England. There is 
 hopelessness and mere existence, with no love or 
 true joy, everywhere. The faces of the old people 
 are so sad ; they speak of blank and blighted 
 souls, without a ray of light to brighten the 
 valley of death. They know of no living Christ. 
 Everything is very real\ the fight against the 
 Evil One is no mere figure of speech. But it 
 is blessed to remember that out of * every tribe ' 
 some at least shall sing the new song in the pre- 
 sence of the Lamb ... I long for God — more 
 of Himself. In communion with Him, though 
 separated in body, all in Christ meet. This is 
 the chief joy for me and her who has been given 
 me in the Lord. We are so near to Him, and He 
 will bring us together * for Him ' in His time, to 
 fight together in His power." 
 
Chapter VIII 
 
 JOURNEY TO TORO 
 
 " As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy 
 Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work 
 vvhereunto I have called them." — Acts xiii. 2. 
 
 WE must now accompany our young mis- 
 sionary on the last stage of his journeyings. 
 A great deal that happened will be best told in 
 his own words. The isolation in which he would 
 henceforth have to live seemed to weigh a little 
 on his mind. But he bore up bravely and 
 trustingly, as one who was going in God's strength 
 and under His guidance, to " the very front of the 
 fight." All (he felt) must be well. The difficulties 
 in regard to the language added to his anxiety, 
 Luganda not being the language of the people of 
 Toro. He left Mengo, after a stay of eight days, 
 with the Revs. H. K. Sugden and B. E. Wigram, 
 on Wednesday, February 24th. Before starting 
 he had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Fisher, one 
 of the Toro lay missionaries, on his way to Eng- 
 land on furlough. Mr. Fisher had been greatly 
 
 131 
 
132 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 blessed during his five years' stay in Africa, 
 and had opened up work in four new stations, 
 The pleasure was mutual, for Mr. Fisher writes 
 subsequently to John's father : " We are all so 
 thankful that your dear son has been sent to Toro. 
 He is so strong, and in every way fitted for the 
 most advanced and difficult Mission in Uganda." 
 He speaks feelingly of the fellowship they en- 
 joyed during the two days they were together in 
 Mengo. He found him full of thankfulness and 
 hope. "God is going to do the work," he said. 
 He saw in him a deeply spiritual man — one who 
 lived near to his Lord and recognised God in 
 everything, full of love for the natives, who quickly 
 gathered round him. Four of Mr. Fisher's little 
 boys who had just arrived with him from Toro 
 at once decided to go back with John as his 
 personal boys. Mr. Fisher writes : " He was most 
 good-natured and thoughtful and kind — qualities 
 which at once carry a man into the hearts of the 
 Baganda. One night I was looking for my boy 
 who was supposed to mind the house, and eventu- 
 ally found him covered with Mr. Callis's blanket. 
 He had got fever during my absence, and Callis, 
 without knowing who he was, covered him up, 
 and had Dr. Cook to come and see him. We 
 spoke about shooting, and I remember he said, 
 
JOURNEY TO TORO 133 
 
 ' We will not mind a rifle, as there will be no time 
 for shooting.' He was most cheerful and bright. 
 The morning he left Mengo for Toro I walked 
 out with him, chatting about the work, and then 
 came the good-bye and last hand-wave from the 
 top of the hill. Mr. Lloyd has since told me of 
 the conversion of a terrible drunkard in Toro, 
 who was spoken to by Mr. Callis just before his 
 death." The first stage of John's journey to Toro 
 was completed when he reached Mityana, about 
 forty-five miles from Mengo, where Mr. Sugden 
 had been labouring. This took three days. On 
 the way they stopped each night at places where 
 there were churches and native Baganda teachers. 
 Caravan travelling in the country of B Uganda was 
 found to be very different from what it had been 
 on the route from the coast. The chiefs of the 
 villages entertained them, providing them with 
 boiled matoke (bananas) for themselves and 
 their porters. The porters slept in native houses, 
 and no longer carried tents. There were always 
 several empty and (more or less) clean houses for 
 guests in each village. The people were most 
 hospitable, bringing the Europeans presents of 
 fowls, milk, eating berries, eggs, and sometimes 
 cooked food. Every afternoon, on the move from 
 Mengo to Mityana, Mr. Sugden held short services 
 
134 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 in the churches. The church drum was beaten, 
 and a congregation of from twenty to fifty earnest 
 worshippers attended. John writes : " To see 
 these native brethren and sisters, with their faces 
 in their hands, bowed to the ground, and to hear 
 their responses and singing, is very beautiful. 
 The Baganda teachers sent to live and preach in 
 the larger villages are a fine body of young men. 
 Their square shoulders, fine physique, and clean, 
 white flowing robes, with their warm, affectionate 
 nature, make them very lovable. They are doing 
 much good work in the countries all round 
 Buganda, as well as in Buganda itself. They are 
 all trained in Mengo. While instructing the coun- 
 try people in the Way of Life, they are them- 
 selves most anxious to know more of the truth. 
 They teach the people to read, and instruct them 
 for baptism. One of the European clergy in 
 whose district they work supervises them, visiting 
 the villages in turn, examining and baptizing the 
 candidates for baptism. I have been very much 
 struck with these young Baganda teachers ; they 
 seem full of love and humility." 
 
 Mityana was reached on the Friday afternoon, 
 the chiefs and people coming out to welcome Mr. 
 Sugden back from his visit to Mengo. When 
 he told them that he had brought two guests 
 
JOURNEY TO TORO 135 
 
 and that one of them (Mr. Wigram) was going 
 to stay and live with them, they swung their 
 heads to and fro, saying, " Neyanza." This is 
 the Muganda's way of expressing joy and grati- 
 tude. John writes again : " It is hard to give any 
 idea of the warm welcome we receive on all sides. 
 Africa's hearts are warm, like its climate. The 
 Mission station and church at Mityana are on a 
 high hill, the houses being hid away among the 
 banana plantations. A lake lies to the west, and 
 the sunsets across the water are very lovely. On 
 Sunday, at the morning service, I had the very 
 great joy of taking a very small part in the service. 
 It consisted only of saying the words in Luganda 
 for administering the cup in the Holy Com- 
 munion Service. It was, however, the first time 
 I had worn my surplice in a Luganda service, 
 and it was a great joy to minister to the people 
 even in such a small way. A layman — Mr. 
 Fletcher — had come to greet us beyond Mityana. 
 He works under Mr. Sugden at a Mission station 
 seven hours' walk from there. We had a most 
 happy Sunday, and it was a hitherto unheard-of 
 event that four Europeans should be together at 
 Mityana." 
 
 The next morning, cheered and refreshed by 
 this fellowship in the Lord, John set out on his 
 
136 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 lonely journey to Toro. Twenty Batoro porters 
 carried his baggage. Mr. Fletcher accompanied 
 him for about a mile, and then he was left, for 
 the first time since being away from home, with- 
 out a single fellow European. The porters only 
 understood Luganda very slightly. Besides them 
 he had with him his three Baganda " boys," and 
 one of the Toro teachers, with his wife and small 
 son of about seven. This Baganda teacher, Isaac, 
 had been to Mengo for a visit, and was now 
 returning. He proved most useful in arranging 
 for the porters at the different camps. A great 
 feature of the country now entered upon is the 
 swamps covered with papyrus plants. Many of 
 these swamps have had native bridges built across 
 them by the chiefs. The day John and his party 
 left Mityana, after marching two hours, they came 
 to a large swamp, which was really an arm of the 
 Lake. There was nothing for it but to strip to 
 the Waist and wade it. The mud and water came 
 up to the waist, and they were one hour and ten 
 minutes crossing. A sort of road, five or six feet 
 in width, had been made through the swamp by 
 cutting down the papyrus plants. On either side 
 were the other tall plants towering aloft, and, 
 underneath the surface, innumerable roots. These 
 latter had an unpleasant habit of catching the 
 
JOURNEY TO TORO 137 
 
 feet as in a snare. In consequence the traveller 
 would now and again find himself on hands and 
 feet, floundering in mud and dirty water. The 
 above was the largest swamp of all, but several 
 smaller ones had to be crossed in the valleys 
 between the hills. And this was the mode of 
 crossing. Elevated on the shoulders of his 
 " boy " Thomas, with his knees on each side of 
 Thomas's face, his hands pressing his woolly pate, 
 and his feet dug closely into his ribs, John was 
 carried over, in momentary fear and trembling 
 lest his patient beast of burden should stumble, 
 and pitch him head first from a height of seven 
 feet into the slush and mire. 
 
 That first afternoon, when the camp had been 
 pitched, there was a service in church, and John 
 gave his first address in church in Luganda ; and 
 at all the places where there was a Protestant 
 church he held a little informal service to wel- 
 come the teachers and people. These churches 
 are built of reeds, strung closely together ; the 
 floors are hardened mud, and there is generally 
 a " reading desk," also built of reeds, with a raised 
 platform of hardened mud. The service con- 
 sisted of hymns, reading, and prayer, led by Isaac 
 and the local Baganda teachers, and a few words 
 from John, expressing the joy he felt at coming 
 
138 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 to the people to teach and preach to them in 
 their own country. One morning the local teacher 
 brought his Luganda Testament, and asked the 
 meaning of the text in which it is said that 
 Christ should "bring forth judgment unto vic- 
 tory." Each day, as the party went on, the 
 Christians brought them on their way, and, on 
 separating to return, said, " Kabonda akukuma " 
 (may God protect you). One day they passed 
 two swarms of locusts. The trees were covered, 
 and the air seemed full of them. The appear- 
 ance at a distance was that of a snowstorm. 
 
 On the third day (Ash Wednesday) after leav- 
 ing Mityana the camp was pitched for the first 
 time in Roman Catholic territory. The west side 
 of Baganda has no C.M.S. stations, as the chiefs 
 are Romanists. Some caravans of Protestant 
 missionaries have been refused food at Roman 
 Catholic villages. It was, however, on this occa- 
 sion willingly given. At several places the chiefs 
 at first seemed rather cold and shy, but they have 
 been told to treat the Protestants with suspicion. 
 Ten days were spent in Roman Catholic terri- 
 tory. The people, as a rule, seemed earnest, but 
 ill-instructed Christians. There was the same 
 longing for knowledge of the truth found as 
 amongst the Protestants. They knew enough of 
 
JOURNEY TO TORO 139 
 
 the things of Christ to make them long to know 
 more. John writes : " I had delightful times at 
 each village. Sometimes it was sitting on the 
 floor by a chief's side speaking with him and his 
 people, who sit in crowds round the doorway. At 
 other times in the native huts there were always 
 those willing to listen, and to warmly greet one. 
 The Baganda women are great smokers, and 
 they would "thoughtfully sit and smoke while I 
 took a crucifix from a man's neck, and told them 
 of Him who was slain and now reigns. At one 
 place I found Isaac hotly arguing with the chief 
 about the ' Papa.' I had told him something of 
 the claims which the Bishop of Rome makes upon 
 all Christians only the day before. He seized the 
 first opportunity to let it off in arguing with this 
 chief. I went and took the chief's hand, and said, 
 ' Let us talk not of the Pope, but of Christ. He 
 alone is the Saviour.' The dear fellow quite 
 brightened up, and, turning from Isaac, listened 
 most attentively." 
 
 The following Sunday was a most happy day. 
 The party arrived on Saturday, hot and tired, 
 after six hours' march, at the chief's enclosure in 
 the large village of Kawanga. The chief (Bisi- 
 golo) was gone to read with his Roman Catholic 
 teachers some days' march away, but he was 
 
140 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 expected back on Sunday morning. The musigori* 
 or " steward," had been left in charge, and, upon 
 being applied to, willingly gave the party per- 
 mission to stay for two days. He was very ill 
 with dropsy. John paid him what he calls " a 
 delightful pastoral visit " in the afternoon, and they 
 parted great friends. On the Sunday a service 
 was held. The porters sat on the ground in the 
 shade of the high courtyard reed wall. John 
 gave out the hymns, and said a little about the 
 words. As they could only understand Luganda 
 when very distinctly spoken, Isaac preached. He 
 took as his text St. John iii. 16 and vii. 37. While 
 the last hymn was being sung, the beating of a 
 drum announced the return home of Bisigolo, the 
 chief, who shortly entered the courtyard with 
 another chief from Budu, a Protestant Christian 
 named Mark. Many of his retainers were with 
 him, carrying his chair and guns. He seemed 
 delighted to find hymns being sung in his court- 
 yard, and greeted all most kindly. Another little 
 service was held in the afternoon — this time out- 
 side the courtyard, as the shadow was now in 
 that quarter. John writes : " It was a very enjoy- 
 able time, and I wish I could describe it to you. 
 About twenty rough Batoro sat on the ground 
 before me ; on the right of my chair Isaac was 
 
JOURNEY TO TORO 141 
 
 sitting, and, on his right, the Budu chief had the 
 little folding-up stool. We sang several hymns, 
 which Mr. Ashe and Mr. Pilkington have trans- 
 lated, such as ' Jesus loves me, this I know ' ; 
 ' Here we suffer grief and pain • ; ' Jesus lives ! 
 no longer now/ We sang the choruses again and 
 again ; it is good to see the hungry look on the 
 faces of these heathen. Little by little a spiritual 
 truth seems to dawn upon them. It IS true that 
 Africa is waiting ; there is a real stretching out 
 of the hands unto God. The Budu chief Mako 
 (Mark) spoke, and he, too, had chosen St. John 
 iii. 16 as his text, quite unaware that Isaac had 
 taken it in the morning. It was a sight to do 
 one's soul good, as the rough country porters 
 leaned forward, so as not to lose a word which 
 fell from the chiefs lips. We sat just outside 
 the tall reed entrance to the courtyard, and the 
 country round, with its hills and trees, was bathed 
 in sunshine. After the service I went to the house 
 where Isaac was staying, to see his wife, who was 
 ill with fever; then to the house of the musigori, 
 who was still lying under the bananas — the chief, 
 with several of his attendants, visiting him to tell 
 of his journey. Bisigolo made room for me on 
 his mat, and we sat and talked of the things of 
 God. I read and sang ' While shepherds watched 
 
142 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 their flocks by night.' He promised to visit 
 me in my tent, which he did that evening 
 when we had a good time together again. He 
 begged very hard for a New Testament, and 
 I wrote a note to Mr. Sugden at Mityana for 
 one of his men to take. If Mr. Sugden had no 
 books for sale, he said he should send his man 
 to Mengo, to buy some Testaments for himself 
 and his people. This Sunday ended with singing 
 more hymns with the porters in the moonlight 
 round the camp fire." 
 
 The next day a start was made before day- 
 break, and the midday halt took place on a 
 hill where there was a large potato field in 
 charge of one labouring man (Makopi). No 
 further progress could be attempted that day, 
 for Isaac and his sick wife were far behind, and 
 the porters could not be prevailed upon to go 
 on. The following day's march was, therefore, 
 a very long and tiring one. At length, a stop 
 was decided upon at an empty house standing 
 in the midst of another potato field. Potatoes 
 were dug up and roasted, and all the trials of 
 the long march were forgotten. John remarks : 
 " This seems like taking a great liberty with 
 other people's property, according to English 
 ideas ! " From the top of a very high eminence 
 
JOURNEY TO TORO 143 
 
 a splendid view was enjoyed. The hills were 
 topped with cairns of massive grey rock. For 
 miles and miles hill after hill rose all around, 
 and there was hardly any sign of man or village. 
 The pure fresh air was most invigorating. The 
 desolation that was to be seen on every side 
 is due to the slave trade and inter-tribal warfare. 
 That evening John and Isaac turned off the 
 road to visit a place where they had intended 
 to spend the previous night. It consisted of 
 only ten houses, but it was of special interest as 
 being the last village on the east side of the 
 Toro Mission district. John writes : " The chief 
 was a most striking young fellow of about 
 eighteen. He and his mother were most refined ; 
 their lips were thin, and their features very 
 good. They seemed more like Europeans, and 
 quite different from the people they rule. The 
 chief is very slowly learning to read, and I 
 asked him to come and stay with me in Toro. 
 I was delighted with this bright, fine-looking 
 fellow. Many people at home think Africans 
 are a race of heavy, thick-headed, unintelligent 
 people, but little removed from the lower animals. 
 In this part of Central Africa, at any rate, this 
 is perfectly false ; the races are intelligent, and 
 longing for more knowledge." 
 
i 4 4 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 The camp was pitched that night at Kitagwato, 
 a large Protestant village. John writes : " About 
 two miles off two Baganda teachers ran out to 
 meet me. They carried me over two swamps 
 and some way up the next hill. The chief, 
 Nyama, clothed in a large terai hat and his 
 best clothes, was most hearty in his welcome. 
 lie brought me a large pot of a native drink 
 called mubise, which was very refreshing. We 
 then went to the church, many people answering 
 the invitation of the church drum. We sang 
 hymns and had prayer, and I told the people 
 how glad I was to be with them. This was my 
 first entrance into ' my parish/ and nothing could 
 exceed the kindness and interest of these people. 
 The greetings I have got here have far more 
 than made up for the past six months of 
 travel." 
 
 The next day the porters were unwilling to 
 march for more than two hours. The Batoro 
 porters are much weaker than the Swahili or 
 Baganda men. They easily knock up, and are 
 unable to carry the full 60 lb. load. The fol- 
 lowing morning John and his "boys" started at 
 6.15 a.m. for Butiti — a large Christian village, 
 twenty miles from Kasagama's — the capital of 
 Mwenge, a district lying between Toro and 
 
DAVID KASAGAMA, KING OF TORO 
 
JOURNEY TO TORO 145 
 
 Bunyoro. Bishop Tucker had stayed there in 
 the previous summer, and had baptized the 
 king and several of his people. There a most 
 enthusiastic welcome awaited him. The king 
 came to see him in the morning. In the after- 
 noon the church drum was beaten, and a goodly 
 company gathered. All sat facing the end of 
 the church, and seemed thoroughly to enjoy the 
 service. On returning from church John found 
 the king and his " ladies " sitting in the European 
 Mission House. He made some tea, and brought 
 out cabinet biscuits and a few dates (remnants 
 of luxuries brought from the coast). The king's 
 wife broke up the hard biscuits, and handed 
 pieces all round to her attendant ladies. They 
 appreciated the biscuits immensely, thinking it 
 a great treat to have some food from Ebulaya 
 (England). At sunset John returned the king's 
 visit, and thus describes the interview : " I found 
 him a most quiet, thoughtful Christian. He 
 said he had many villages, and his people were 
 many. Was I strong ? Had I strength to walk- 
 to these people? When I told him that this 
 was the very thing I had come to do, he said 
 quite pathetically, 'They worship lubare, because 
 they do not know God.' Lubare is the name of 
 the heathen deity of these parts. While I was 
 
 10 
 
146 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 with the king a drum was beaten, and his 
 household assembled for evening prayer. In the 
 dark they sang two hymns from memory, and 
 then the king led his people in prayer. It was 
 a sight which made me feel what a privilege 
 it was to be sent to this place. The king was 
 most generous in his gifts, and sent me a goat, 
 milk, eating bananas, and cooked food for both 
 midday and evening meals. It should be men- 
 tioned that the king has built a house for the 
 missionaries to use whenever they come to visit 
 him and his people. He is also building a large 
 new church, as the present one is old and too 
 small for the increasing attendance." On the 
 way to pay this visit to the king John called 
 on the Majessa — the biggest chief. He was 
 sitting in his garden with many followers, and 
 nursing his small baby, which was covered with 
 sores. The baby was brought round in the 
 evening, and John rubbed on some vaseline and 
 bound its arms and legs. 
 
 There were eight readers anxious for baptism, 
 and the king wanted John to stay over Sunday 
 and baptize. He could not do this, but pro- 
 mised to return in a fortnight, stay the Sun- 
 day, administer Holy Communion, and baptize 
 those whom Mr. Lloyd should pronounce ready. 
 

 
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Chapter IX 
 
 AT WORK IN TORO 
 
 " Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name 
 of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost : . . . 
 and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the 
 world." — Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. 
 
 AND now the very last stage in the long 
 journey was reached. And this is John's 
 own account of his arrival at Kasagama's, which 
 took place on March 13th : " I was escorted by 
 three men sent by the king. About three hours 
 from Kasagama's I stopped for lunch in a beautiful 
 valley by a river, and, while here, several Baganda 
 teachers came running up from Kasagama's. We 
 hugged each other in true Baganda fashion. They 
 brought a note from Mr. Lloyd (the lay missionary 
 at Kasagama's), saying he would meet me later 
 (which he did, about a mile from the town). 
 My pen and note paper both fail to describe 
 my entry into Kasagama's. A lot of bright 
 hearty, strapping fellows met me at every corner. 
 They shouted and laughed. One saw I was 
 
 147 
 
i 4 S JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 tired, and pushed me up the hill. The numbers 
 increased every few minutes. The king, the 
 Namasole (the king's mother), the ladies of the 
 king's household (who wait on his wife and 
 himself), all sent boy messengers to say ' Otyano.' 
 These white-robed messengers with long sticks 
 then rushed back to announce my arrival, and 
 to say I greeted them. It was most embar- 
 rassing. The coup de grace was, however, when 
 I met the ladies of the queen's household ! 
 About a dozen of these buxom ladies rushed 
 upon me, and, if Mr. Lloyd had not warned me, 
 my hat, if not myself, would have been de- 
 molished. . . . There are wonderful signs 
 of blessing, and many earnest Christians in these 
 parts. All in front of us is the densest 
 heathenism. No mission comes between us and 
 the Congo (Baptist) Mission. At least one of 
 the tribes within two days' march of us is can- 
 nibal. . . . We are in the very front of the 
 fight, where I often longed to be. The Christians 
 are warm, gentle souls, full of gratitude. Pray 
 for them, and for me, that utterance may be 
 given to preach the riches of Christ so as to be 
 understood. I am very glad to be sent here. 
 It is what I had often hoped for — to be placed 
 where the Gospel has not been preached. The 
 
AT WORK IN TORO 149 
 
 people are most warm-hearted. The king, Daudi 
 (David), is a fine-looking man of twenty-one, 
 but apparently much older. He is willing to 
 build churches, preachers' houses, and do any- 
 thing to help the work." 
 
 In his last letters to his mother John writes : 
 " Just one line to say that I am really in Toro ! 
 very safe and very sound, and very thankful. 
 It is so jolly to feel a roof over my head 
 again. Mr. Lloyd and I are living together. 
 I like him already very much, and feel sure that 
 we shall pull well together. We are right away 
 from all other missionaries. An English official 
 lives at a fort near with some Nubian troops, and 
 there are, also, two French Roman Catholic 
 priests in this capital of Kasagama's country. 
 These are the only Europeans. Kasagama, the 
 king, sent me a sheep on Saturday evening, as 
 well as much matoke. It is a * lady ' sheep, so 
 we are going to preserve her life in the hope 
 that in due time she will present us with some 
 lambs. Meat is sometimes scarce here, so it is 
 well to have a flock, if possible. It is such a 
 privilege to be out here, and I feel quite settled 
 down. We have much fresh milk, butter, fowls, 
 English potatoes, and some other English vege- 
 tables." And again : " It seems quite another 
 
150 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 world to England. We have our kings and 
 chiefs, wars and tumults, peasantry, heathenism 
 and Christianity. The time passes very fast. 
 The mountains are glorious, and, now the rains 
 are beginning, the atmosphere is clearer. It 
 rains during this season one or two hours (or 
 more) each day and night. This morning, when 
 getting up at seven, it was very cold. The 
 people all get up much later than most Africans 
 because of the cold. ... It is very won- 
 derful to find so many round here who are just 
 waiting for the truth. I am sure that many 
 accounts of the missionary work have been much 
 exaggerated. It is, however, quite true that the 
 people everywhere seem to be 'waiting.' Most 
 nights we hear singing in houses close by, which 
 is done in honour of the heathen deity. I wrote 
 by last mail to Dr. Maxwell, asking him to print 
 some Toro Temperance Pledge Cards ! The 
 people drink a very intoxicating liquor made 
 from banana juice fermented. . . . The cli- 
 mate here is really delightful, and I never re- 
 member feeling so fit in every way. It is, of 
 course, always warm during the day, but there 
 is always a breeze — sometimes quite bracing, 
 like sea air. The cool nights make it quite 
 possible to sleep, which it is very hard to do at 
 
/ 
 
 AT WORK IN TORO 151 
 
 the coast and other parts of Africa. 
 Long before this letter reaches you I hope to 
 be in the splendid mud-house which has been 
 built by Mr. Lloyd's directions and personal 
 work. It has three rooms. The thick thatch 
 roof is just finished, and a [number of Bunyoro 
 boys are covering the outside walls with some 
 white earth. It will look very much like a white 
 cottage in an English village." 
 
 On Sunday, March 21st, our dear young mis- 
 sionary celebrated the Holy Communion for the 
 first time in Luganda. Mr. Lloyd read the 
 prayers and preached. There were twenty com- 
 municants, including the king, his wife, and 
 his mother. The day before, at the weekly 
 Prayer Meeting, the king had prayed very simply 
 and earnestly for wisdom to guide his people. 
 His task was a very difficult one, as some of his 
 chiefs had been persuaded to become Roman 
 Catholics, and were in the habit of treating him 
 with but scant courtesy, at the instigation of their 
 religious advisers. When the king was baptized, 
 he took the Christian name of " David " in place 
 of his heathen name, " Kasagama." He wished 
 the name of his capital to be changed also, and 
 the hill on which his house stands is now called 
 Bethlehem — the City of David. 
 
152 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 On Wednesday morning, March 24th, at 9.30, 
 fourteen persons, including eight men, were 
 baptized in the river. We cannot do better than 
 give the description of this very striking episode 
 in John's own words. He writes : " W T e had a 
 most delightful service, and we felt it was a very 
 real time of blessing. The king, his wife, his 
 mother, and about 400 people, came to the river- 
 side, and were seated on the high bank. We 
 began with several hymns, and then, amid perfect, 
 silence, and a deep sense of the Divine Presence, 
 I began to read the service. The candidates in- 
 cluded several young chiefs, and some of the 
 young girls of the Namasole's (king's mother's) 
 household. They stood in front of the congrega- 
 tion, with their witnesses, to answer the questions, 
 which they did most feelingly. While we sang 
 a hymn, ' I am coming, Lord, coming now to 
 Thee,' they walked round across a bridge a short 
 distance to the opposite side of the river. I then 
 baptized them, one by one, in mid-stream, and 
 they passed to the congregation on the shore. It 
 was a most intensely interesting service. Not only 
 were the candidates themselves in real earnest, but 
 all the congregation followed the service most 
 devoutly. The glimpses of their faces from the 
 river were wonderful. The Namasole embraced 
 
AT WORK IN TORO 153 
 
 the girls of her household in a most loving way — 
 greeting them afresh as true sisters in Christ. The 
 Namasole is a most sweet Christian soul, and her 
 influence is very great. The service ended with 
 the hymn, ' Oh happy day that fixed my choice,' 
 after which I gave the benediction, when the 
 big congregation went home with shouts — real 
 expressions of joy. I cannot express my thankful- 
 ness for this service — my first baptism in Africa ! 
 The candidates mostly wore white clothes, and, 
 under the morning sun, we were soon all dry. 
 The place we chose for the baptism was close to 
 Captain Sitwell's fort, and he had most readily 
 given us permission to alter the banks a little. 
 The king had to call on him after the service, and, 
 to the inquiry whether he had had a good time 
 at the baptism, replied simply, ' Are not the 
 things of God all good ? ' " 
 
 On the afternoon of the same day, John started 
 with Mr. Lloyd for Mboga — a place five days' 
 march from the capital of Toro, on the borders of 
 Stanley's Great Forest — where there were ten con- 
 verts reading for baptism. Two days after they 
 crossed the Semliki River in a long native " dug 
 out." This is a swift, deep river, about twenty- 
 five or thirty yards wide, infested by crocodiles 
 and hippopotami. At the different houses they 
 
154 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 stayed they found charms and propitiatory offer- 
 ings to the heathen deities. They made a halt 
 at the village of Buguma, on the west side of 
 the Ruwenzori range, as the chief had expressed 
 a desire to read " the Words of God." In his last 
 letter to his father, written at this place, John 
 says : " I used to think life out here would be 
 rather less full than at home, but the time seems 
 to pass even faster. We are always on the move, 
 and full of opportunities for work." He goes on 
 to speak of the difficulties raised by the Roman 
 Catholics in Toro. The senior priest had tried 
 to prejudice the king's mind against him by saying 
 that, unless the king left off reading with him, he 
 would perish eternally. Large gifts of cloth were 
 bestowed on chiefs and people to persuade them 
 to receive Baganda Roman Catholic teachers. 
 The priest had succeeded in turning out six 
 Protestant chiefs at Butiti, and the Protestant 
 king was in great distress at receiving an order 
 (inspired by him) from Captain Sitwell to re- 
 instate six Roman Catholic chiefs who had 
 voluntarily left him. " In spite of all these hin- 
 drances (John remarks), or is it because of them ? 
 the truth is rapidly spreading." An effort was 
 made to hold a service in Buguma, and the people 
 were invited to attend. But they all ran away. 
 
king's house, toro; the ruwenzori mountains in the distance 
 
AT WORK IN TORO 155 
 
 They were afraid of the white men's " superstition." 
 The next village reached belonged to the Baima 
 tribe. This tribe is devoted to cow-keeping. 
 Africans of other tribes do not understand cows, 
 and will have nothing to do with them. Baima 
 women of another tribe brought in food and 
 water. They are poor degraded creatures, half- 
 clad in skins. Their tribe is peculiar, as one that 
 feeds on snakes. Many of these inhabit the 
 native houses. Another tribe not far off is a 
 cannibal tribe. These are the closing words of our 
 dear brother's last circular letter : " The scenery 
 this side of the Ruwenzori Mountains is most 
 exquisite. I suppose very few Europeans have 
 seen it. This morning we saw a great deal of 
 snow on the highest peaks. We are in a plain 
 lying between the Ruwenzori range and a lower 
 range of hills on the west. We passed two worn- 
 out volcanic craters on the road, and there are 
 hot springs of boiling water at the foot of the 
 Ruwenzori. The Roman Catholic Mission is a 
 source of great trial to the work of Toro. Please 
 pray for wisdom to know what to do." 
 
Chapter X 
 
 THE EARLY HOME CALL 
 
 " The sands of time are sinking, 
 
 The dawn of heaven breaks, 
 The summer morn I've sighed for, 
 
 The fair sweet morn awakes. 
 Dark, dark hath been the midnight, 
 
 But day-spring is at hand, 
 
 And glory, glory dwelleth 
 
 In Emmanuel's land." 
 
 — Cousins. 
 
 " Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it 
 abideth alone ; but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit." — 
 St. John xii. 24. 
 
 THE end of a devoted life was now drawing 
 near. The keynote of that life is struck 
 by those beautiful words found upon the flyleaf 
 of Eustace Maxwell's Bible in the wreck of the 
 train which called him to his early crown, — 
 
 "Just as I am — young, strong, and free, 
 To be the best that I can be 
 For Truth and Righteousness and Thee, 
 Lord of my life, I come." 
 
 If there was one thing that shone out more than 
 
 156 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 157 
 
 another in our dear brother's character, it was 
 the humble, trustful, happy spirit in which he 
 met all that befell him. He is always writing of 
 thankfulness, joy, privilege. His work, however 
 arduous, was his constant refreshment and delight. 
 When appointed to Toro, his first impulse seems 
 rather to have been a feeling of a little diffident 
 surprise that one so young and inexperienced as 
 he was should be sent to so remote and difficult 
 a post. But he took it directly as God's will 
 and the answer to prayer, and cheerfully began 
 at once all needful preparation. Looking at his 
 story from a mere human point of view, it would 
 seem sad and mysterious that there should have 
 been that long journey, during all those weary 
 months, with all that effort to learn the language, 
 and then only a very few short weeks of actual 
 labour. It is, indeed, a very touching thing 
 when God thus accepts, otherwise than in the 
 manner of its offering, the sacrifice of a young 
 and devoted life ! Faith assures us that all was 
 just as it should be. The self-sacrifice and self- 
 denial (which must have been great, although we 
 do not read much of it in his letters) was all 
 swallowed up in the gladness of God's felt Presence, 
 and of the tokens of favour and success which He 
 now and again graciously vouchsafed to him. 
 
158 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 His short spell of missionary work made the 
 happiest part of his life. God gave him a sweet 
 taste of the work he had so longed for, and then 
 called his loving spirit home to an eternal rest. 
 We can say of him in those striking words of 
 the Book of Wisdom (iv. 13, 14) : " He being 
 made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a long time 
 — for his soul pleased the Lord ; therefore hasted 
 He to take him away." And this was the way 
 in which the Home Call came to him. We quote 
 the graphic letter of Mr. Lloyd to his father. 
 Mr. Lloyd had been to him a most faithful, useful, 
 and loving helper, and ministered to him most 
 devotedly (as will be seen) in his last moments. 
 The letter is dated April 26th, from Bamutenda, 
 Toro. " The saddest of all tasks has now fallen 
 to my lot. It is to give you a detailed account 
 of the last few days of your devoted son ; and 
 I pray that, as you read of the last few moments 
 of the life of one so dear to you, God may give 
 you His most loving sympathy, and that the 
 healing oil of His love may be applied. Surely 
 there is nothing that should so fill us with holy 
 hopefulness as the triumphant death of a saint 
 of God. My beloved brother reached this place 
 in the middle of the month of March, and my 
 joy at welcoming such a companion as my fellow- 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 159 
 
 worker could hardly be exaggerated. Since I got 
 to this place, a year ago, I have been very much 
 alone, and have often longed for a fellow-worker, 
 who would be really a help to me, and with whom 
 I could commune in spirit ; and all this I found 
 in my dear brother, your son. Soon after he 
 arrived here, we were called to go to our furthest 
 outpost, Mboga, as there were there thirteen 
 candidates awaiting baptism. I went part of the 
 way with him, but had to return, as the work at 
 Toro (the capital) could not be left. After a fort- 
 night's visit, Callis returned, and seemed in good 
 spirits and very well. He rested two days, hold- 
 ing Baptism Services here, and then went off to 
 Mwenge, a place about twenty- five miles away, 
 where we have a house, church, and a large, en- 
 couraging work going on. He arrived in rather 
 a tired condition, having sent for some of the 
 natives to help him in, which they did, bringing 
 a hammock and carrying him. The following day 
 the chief of the place wrote to me, asking me for 
 medicine for Callis, who was ill. Instead of 
 sending medicine, I at once (although it was three 
 o'clock in the afternoon, and twenty-five miles 
 lay between us) set out on my bicycle ' Speed 
 away/ and did the twenty-five miles in three hours. 
 I found my dear brother in a sad way, his 
 
160 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 temperature at 108 . He was also very sick, and, 
 what surprised me most, he was out of bed. Poor 
 dear fellow, he little knew the power of fever, 
 as we get it out here. He said, * Oh, Lloyda (this 
 is what he always called me), ' why have you 
 come all this way ? I am not really ill, only a 
 little tired ! ' I got him at once to bed, but he 
 begged me not to trouble myself on his behalf, 
 but to get food and go to bed after my long ride. 
 I told him I had come to nurse him, and he must 
 do what I told him, and a tear sparkled in his 
 eye as he said, ' I shall soon be all right.' (Yes ! 
 dear brother, soon all right in Jesus' bosom !) 
 That night the dear fellow suffered very much, 
 but, through it all, was most patient, and his 
 constant remark was : * Don't trouble, dear 
 Lloyda.' On Saturday he seemed much better 
 and wanted to get up ; but I urged him to keep 
 quiet, and I sat and read a few chapters to him, 
 and we also sang together a few hymns, and then 
 he slept until Sunday morning. I was by his 
 bedside when he awoke, and could not but praise 
 God to see my beloved companion so much better. 
 I begged him to keep his bed, and I sat with him 
 during the day. It was Easter Sunday, of all 
 days in the year the most glorious. He asked me 
 to sing to him : — 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 161 
 
 1 On the Resurrection morning 
 Soul and body meet again ; 
 No more sorrow, no more weeping, 
 No more pain.' 
 
 " He lay quite quiet until I reached the last line 
 of the last verse, and then, with all his strength, 
 he joined me in that one line : ' Waking up in 
 Christ's own likeness, satisfied! After that hymn 
 he lay quite still, and seemed asleep, so I left 
 him a few moments, and went into the next room, 
 and I heard him when I had gone just pouring out 
 his whole soul to God in such prayer as we seldom 
 hear. It was only meant for his dear Saviour's 
 ears ; but I could not help listening ; it seemed to 
 bring God so near. Towards evening, fever came on 
 and reached a very high temperature, and on that 
 day I sat by him bathing his fevered brow and 
 putting cold water to his parched lips. Once he 
 almost shouted, ' O my God, I can't bear it.' I 
 leant over him and said, ' Jesus can help you 
 to bear it.' It was a magic word to him, for he 
 started, and then a smile came over his face, and 
 he closed his eyes and was quite still. In the 
 morning the fever abated again, and he took 
 a little nourishment. Monday, Tuesday, and 
 Wednesday he was quieter, and seemed to be 
 getting on well, and very little fever showed it- 
 self. Wednesday morning he was particularly 
 
 II 
 
i6 2 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 bright, and we sat and talked together. First I 
 read to him John v., and he said a few words 
 upon verses 25, 28, 29, mentioning the reference 
 to the two Resurrections — that which now is, and 
 that which is to come. Then he asked me to 
 sing to him again, and I did so, he himself 
 choosing the hymns. His choice was curious. 
 1 Days and moments quickly flying ' was one of 
 the first; 'We shall sleep, but not for ever/ and 
 then ' Abide with me, fast falls the eventide.' 
 He really seemed much better, and his tempera- 
 ture was low. Alas ! it was the calm before the 
 storm. I left him a moment to get some food 
 in the next room, and he continued singing ; first 
 he sang, — 
 
 i The sands of time are sinking, 
 
 The dawn of Heaven breaks. 
 The summer morn I've sighed for, 
 
 The fair sweet morn awakes.' 
 
 " I was much struck with the power he put into 
 it. For a few moments he was quiet, and then he 
 sang, ' Peace, perfect peace,' and at the fifth verse 
 he stopped. You remember the words : — 
 
 ' Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown ; 
 Jesus we know, and He is on the throne.' 
 
 " I thought he had fallen asleep, and in a few 
 moments I walked to his bedside, and was 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 163 
 
 amazed to see him with his eyes wide open, lying 
 on his side. I spoke to him, but he neither 
 moved nor spoke, and I knew he was quite un- 
 conscious. I took his temperature, and found it 
 very high indeed. I covered him up with blankets, 
 having previously given him medicine, and then 
 waited, hoping soon to see him revive. All night 
 I sat with him, with a little boy with me. Oh, 
 what could I do ! I was so helpless, and yet 
 my heart was breaking. No return of conscious- 
 ness came. As soon as it was light I sent for 
 help, and two or three Baganda came to help 
 me. Our first thing was to bathe him in cool 
 water, then we sat still and waited, just moving 
 him from side to side, and applying cold water 
 to his head and neck ; but all in vain. All that 
 day, Thursday, there was absolutely no change, 
 as far as man could see ; but I somehow felt that 
 I was at the bedside of a dying man. Oh, what 
 hours of agony those were ! I could not leave 
 his side (for 106 hours I never left him, not even 
 for sleep). On Friday a change came, a much 
 higher temperature, and not for one moment did 
 his eyes close for sleep, — just that terrible, vacant 
 stare. Once he fixed his eyes on me, and it 
 seemed as though he recognised me. I bent 
 over him and just called him by name, and for 
 
1 64 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 a moment there was the slightest sign of re- 
 turning consciousness ; but it was gone instantly, 
 nor did it return. 
 
 " We did all in our power to bring him round ; 
 but we were helpless : the call had come. Friday 
 night I shall never forget. The chief and many 
 natives had gathered together in the house, know- 
 ing the end was near. The chiefs sister, who 
 had seemed devoted to him in life, sat at the 
 head of the bed, bathing him with cold water 
 and wiping the death dew from his brow. One 
 woman's tender care and loving attention he had 
 right to the end. Towards morning, about five 
 o'clock, we all saw death was very near. I 
 called the people in, and we prayed together, so 
 far as sobs would let us, and then his heavy 
 breathing was the only sound heard. All waited 
 in breathless silence for the end. At last it came. 
 My candle, which was by his bedside, flickered, 
 and then went out, and almost at the same 
 moment my beloved brother fell asleep, and the 
 first rays of the morning sun flashed into the 
 room, and the birds then burst forth into song, 
 as the victor passed into the courts of the King ? 
 into endless day, to be for ever with the Lord. 
 Instinctively we all fell upon our knees, and we 
 had five minutes' silent prayer, broken only by 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 165 
 
 the stifled sobs of all present. I then, with the 
 help of the Muganda teacher, performed the last 
 service to the tired body. The chief sent down 
 twelve yards of fine white linen, and in this we 
 wrapped him, and, on the outside, one of my 
 blankets on which he breathed his last. It was 
 when this was done that I shed the first tears of 
 my manhood, and I wept like a little child, not 
 for the one who had gone, but for the awful 
 feeling of loneliness which seemed to overwhelm 
 me. But Jesus poured in the healing balm, and 
 I was able to look up into the face of my never- 
 failing Friend and say, ' Thy will be done.' We 
 chose a nice little spot for his grave close by 
 the church, and here I buried him. And as I read, 
 before a vast crowd of heathen and Christians 
 combined, the glorious Burial Service, hope 
 seemed to spring up within my heart, and I left 
 the graveside feeling stronger. And so we laid 
 him to rest with the blessed hope of a glorious 
 resurrection. I cannot add more, but will write 
 again when I send to you the few little things 
 he has left behind that I feel sure you will like 
 to have. May God, our dear Father of all com- 
 fort, comfort you, and make you entirely sub- 
 missive to His dear will. With kindest Christian 
 love and sympathy." 
 
1 66 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 Mr. and Mrs. Callis were spending their holiday 
 at Felixstowe, when the sad news of their sudden 
 and unexpected loss was conveyed to them in a let- 
 ter, full of deep sympathy (dated August 5th), from 
 Mr. Marshall Lang, Lay Secretary of the C.M.S., 
 in the absence of his clerical colleague — a cable- 
 gram having reached the Society from Zanzibar : 
 " Callis asleep. Toro. May." He writes : " We 
 mourn the early removal of one to whom we 
 looked as a leader in the work in Uganda, and 
 whose offer of service was so lately accepted 
 with much satisfaction. We can only unite with 
 you in praying that this unexpected blow may, 
 in God's inscrutable Providence, be rather for the 
 furtherance of the cause, in leading others to 
 fill the gap caused by your son's early call to 
 his reward. I am aware that your son was en- 
 gaged ; please communicate the tidings to the 
 lady, with whose grief we truly sympathize." 
 
 The Rev. H. E. Fox, Secretary of the Society 
 writes : — 
 
 " Buncrana, Londonderry, 
 
 " August 20///, 1S97. 
 "Dear Mr. Callis,— 
 
 " I have been away from papers and letters, and have 
 but lately heard of the sore loss which has fallen chiefly 
 on you, and next on us and the Church of Christ. Yet 
 where could a soldier of the Cross choose a better place to 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 167 
 
 be found when his Master calls him than in the very fore- 
 front of the battle ? To us it seems strange that one just 
 beginning to give proof of his powers as a missionary, 
 and already making the influence of his holy life felt, 
 should be summoned away from the work where he seemed 
 to be so much needed ; but the Master knew best, and 
 your dear son has entered into the joy of his Lord, to hear 
 the J Well done, good and faithful servant,' as surely as to 
 the oldest veteran. 
 
 " You may be sure that many are remembering you and 
 yours in this bereavement with deep sympathy and con- 
 stant prayer, and among them not least, 
 
 "Yours most sincerely, 
 
 " H. E. Fox, Hon. Sec. 
 
 "Rev. J. Callis." 
 
 At a Committee Meeting of the C.M.S., which 
 met shortly afterwards, the following Resolution 
 was ordered to be entered on the Minutes : — 
 
 " That the Committee have heard, with sincere 
 regret, that the Society has lost a young Mis- 
 sionary, whose work gave promise of much future 
 usefulness, in the removal by death of the Rev. 
 John Samuel Callis, on the very threshold of his 
 work in Uganda, and only three months after 
 his arrival in that country. Your Committee 
 note the fact that, with the exception of the 
 death of Bishop Hannington by violence, this is 
 the first death of one of the Society's mission- 
 aries which has occurred north of the Victoria 
 Nyanza. After graduating at Cambridge, and 
 
1 68 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 receiving further theological training at Wycliffe 
 Hall, Oxford, Mr. Callis, while Curate of All 
 Saints', Woolwich, offered to the Society in June, 
 1896, for work in Uganda. He reached that 
 country in the February of the present year, and 
 was located in Toro. The Committee desire that 
 an expression of their sympathy in the heavy 
 bereavement which the family and friends of 
 Mr. Callis are thus called upon to bear, in the 
 Providence of God, should be conveyed to his 
 father, the Rev. J. Callis, and to his fiancee. Miss 
 Baker." 
 
 A very large number of letters of condolence, 
 expressive of the highest appreciation of the dear 
 departed, poured in upon the bereaved parents, 
 and helped them greatly to bear up under the 
 heavy blow. 
 
 Bishop Tucker writes, under date of August 
 9th : " Your letter of a week or two ago told 
 of cheerful brightness and lively hopes, and now 
 all is changed, and the first of all our missionary 
 band to be laid to rest in the country won for 
 our Lord north of the Lake is your dear son. 
 One can only say, ' The Lord's will be done,' 
 and pray earnestly that it may be given to 
 you, and all near and dear to him who is gone, 
 to know in your heart that ' He is doing all 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 169 
 
 things well,' and that He is saying to you in 
 this hour of your sorrow, 'What I do thou 
 knowest not now, but thou shalt know here- 
 after.' I pray, indeed, that much of the realized 
 Presence of our Lord may be yours, and that 
 He who is the God of all comfort and the very 
 Consolation of Israel may pour into your hearts 
 that peace and comfort which He alone can 
 impart. Pray accept the expression of my 
 deepest, truest sympathy, and believe that much 
 prayer will be offered up for you by those who 
 know what it is to suffer on this behalf." 
 
 Archdeacon Walker (of Uganda) writes how 
 much all out there valued him, and how well they 
 got to know him in the short time he was with 
 them. He adds : " It was a great comfort to feel 
 that we had such a man in Toro, for Toro is a 
 difficult place to work in. Many difficulties are 
 sure to arise, and, as Toro is eight or ten days' 
 from Mengo, often the brethren have to act on 
 their own judgment, without referring the matter 
 to Mengo. With Callis there, we all had such 
 confidence that the best would always be done 
 under the circumstances, whatever they might be. 
 Lloyd, too, wrote thanking us for sending such a 
 good man to work with him. ... It has 
 pleased God to take Callis after a very short 
 
170 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 term of service here ; one can only feel of such 
 a man, ' May my last end be like his ! ' It 
 seems a long way to have walked all out here, 
 and then to lie down and die after some two 
 months in the country. It is difficult to under- 
 stand why such a useful man in every way 
 should be taken." 
 
 Mr. Baskerville, who travelled most of the way 
 with him, and who, as will be remembered, is 
 frequently mentioned by dear John in his letters, 
 writes of him : " He was a man who lived very 
 near to Christ, and the best, I think, of this 
 year's party." "There is one very heavy piece 
 of news to tell, and that is the death of Callis 
 in Toro. He was of the cream of this last party, 
 and now has gone. One can hardly write of 
 other things alongside of this." 
 
 Dr. A. R. Cook, whose name also frequently 
 occurs in this memoir, writes : " He endeared 
 himself greatly to us. His steadfastness of pur- 
 pose, highness of resolve, and whole-hearted mis- 
 sionary consecration, was only equalled by the 
 transparent character of his life. I shall feel grate- 
 ful to the end of my life for having known him. 
 His sermon at Nandi on 'The Living Christ' 
 was an inspiration to us, and will live long in 
 our memories. Your son was eminently one who 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 171 
 
 ' . . . never turned his back, but marched breast for- 
 ward, 
 Never doubted clouds would break, 
 Never dreamed, though right were worsted, wrong would 
 triumph, 
 Held — we fall to rise, are baffled to fight better, sleep 
 to wake. 
 
 1 No — at noontide in the bustle of men's work time 
 Greet the unseen with a cheer ! 
 Bid him forward, breast or back, as either should be, 
 " Strive and thrive " cry " Speed — fight on — fare ever 
 There as here."' 
 
 I want to let you know that, though I was 
 not privileged to attend your son in his last 
 illness, Mr. Lloyd treated him with much skill, 
 and I don't suppose the result would have been 
 very different if I had been there. His home- 
 call evidently came from the Master, and 'when 
 he heard that, he arose quickly and went unto 
 Him.' " 
 
 Mr. Clayton, who was one of the missionary 
 party and the most intimate with him, refers in 
 his letter to the above-mentioned striking sermon. 
 He particularly notes also the infinite pains he 
 took with the one Christian Muganda amongst 
 the porters — having him in his tent every after- 
 noon, and reading and explaining the Bible to 
 him. He writes : " We all felt that he lived 
 nearer to God, perhaps, than any of us, and was 
 
172 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 the most ready to go home. He used to say, on 
 his voyage out, that the one thing he wanted 
 was to ' know God.' He has now got his wish, 
 and gone in to see the King in His beauty." 
 
 Miss Taylor, another of the party, whose name 
 frequently appears in John's letters, writes to his 
 father thus : " We who travelled up here with Mr. 
 Callis know a little of what he was — a man who 
 truly lived in the Presence of God. We always , 
 felt it a privilege and source of strength to* have 
 a little talk with him, and we thank God for 
 letting us know him amidst the strange circum- 
 stances of Safari life." 
 
 Mr. Lloyd, senr., writes : " Your beloved son 
 seemed almost to belong to us, for our dear 
 Albert had written of him in such affectionate 
 terms, and the knowledge that they were united 
 in the great work to which God had called them, 
 made us feel a very special regard for him, 
 although we had never seen him." 
 
 Canon Garratt gives a few interesting reminis- 
 cences of the time immediately preceding his mis- 
 sionary life. He says that he was evidently taking 
 a very deep interest in the subject of our Lord's 
 Second Coming ; that, as his mind had been 
 passing through a good deal of conflict as to the 
 foundations of the faith, his interest in a subject 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 173 
 
 so objective in its nature was a proof how com- 
 plete had been the victory. John thus refers to a 
 visit made by Canon Garratt to Woolwich in one 
 of his letters in which this subject was handled : 
 " Every one enjoyed his time here. He most 
 kindly came to my rooms and gave a lecture 
 on the historical and futurist views of prophecy. 
 About twelve men formed the congregation, and 
 we had a delightful time." Canon Garratt felt 
 that he was going out to the mission field under 
 no illusion, but in a Scriptural spirit, to do the 
 Master's work until He should come Himself to 
 complete it. He adds : " His general bearing, his 
 thoughtful energy, his firm and quiet tones, 
 struck me much. I thought he had a great 
 work before him — and so, indeed, he had, though 
 not exactly as I anticipated. But it cannot be 
 doubted that, in increasing missionary interest at 
 home, and laying the foundation of the Church 
 in Toro, he did more by his death than most 
 men do by their lives." 
 
 The Bishop of Southwark, writing to his father, 
 recalls the fact that it was at his house that John 
 spent the Ember days before his ordination. He 
 formed a very warm admiration for him. He be- 
 lieved that he would be very valuable in English 
 work, and more than once spoke to him of it, 
 
174 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 pleading that there was a great mission field of 
 exceptional difficulty amongst the lapsed of South 
 London ; but his heart was fixed. The Bishop 
 adds : " He has won his mission crown, while we 
 still remain, not yet sufficiently proved. ... I 
 do trust that these few words from one who was 
 much concerned with the great epoch of his life 
 may do something, by the mercy of God, to 
 lead you to the greatest comfort of all — I mean 
 the strong belief that he offered himself to our 
 blessed Lord, and that that offer has been ac- 
 cepted to the fullest extent." 
 
 From his distant holiday resort at the Riffel 
 Alp, the Dean of Norwich sends this touching 
 message : " My heart is sore for you and dear 
 Mrs. Callis. God the Holy Ghost be very near 
 to you in all His tenderness and in gentlest 
 power. Life is measured, not by years, but by 
 love ; in this your dear son was old, and old before 
 his time. Yet I do grieve for you." 
 
 From Scotland Archdeacon Perowne writes : — 
 
 " It is indeed mysterious that a life so full of promise, 
 and a work bidding so fair to unfold on earth, should be 
 brought, as it seems to us, to so untimely a close. And 
 yet we are sure (God give us faith to hold it fast ! ) that 
 life and work have reached alike their highest goal and 
 their noblest development. You gave him to the Lord 
 when first He gave him to you, and now He, the Great 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 175 
 
 Prophet, has said to you yet again, 'Give me thy son, 
 and has borne him away for a little while into His secret 
 chamber, only that He may bring him forth to you again 
 for ever, and say, ' See, thy son liveth ! 
 
 " He has joined the noble army of martyrs, who, in 
 Uganda and throughout the great Mission field, have loved 
 not their lives unto the death for His Name's sake. 
 
 " God bless and comfort and support you and yours, and 
 her who more than shares with you the desolation of this 
 great loss. 
 
 " In all kindest sympathy, 
 
 " I am, yours very sincerely, 
 
 "T. T. PEROWNE." 
 
 Miss Brophy, writing from Salisbury Square, 
 says : "In a letter received from Uganda yester- 
 day, from Miss Timpson, one of the ladies who 
 went to Uganda in the same party, she writes : 
 4 1 did rejoice when it was settled that Mr. Callis 
 should go to Toro, and we all expected great 
 things from him. To know him was to know 
 more of God, and one felt how he lived con- 
 tinually in the Presence of Jesus. His life was 
 a true testimony, and one thanks God for it. All 
 felt what a loss it was to the Mission, and yet we 
 know " It is well." ' " Miss Brophy continues ; " I 
 feel sure that this wiofficial, earnest testimony to 
 your son's life and influence will be precious to 
 you all. One does see how God's richest bless- 
 ing seems to come down on the fields in which 
 the early labourers are sleeping, and it may be 
 
176 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 that God has great purposes of blessing for Toro 
 from the death there of one who had hoped to 
 live for the people." 
 
 His first vicar, Mr. Talbot Rice, writes, after 
 expressing his own and his wife's deep sympathy 
 with the bereaved parents : " I was very fond of 
 him during the little while we were together, and 
 was very sorry to have to leave him. His energy, 
 zeal, and devotion to the Master and to the work- 
 ing people was delightful and contagious. A great 
 many owe much to him. He was so thoroughly 
 anxious to do anything new which might awaken 
 some. I loved him, and I am sure the people did. 
 Dear Mr. Jukes was particularly fond of him, and 
 several times spoke to me of his devotion to the 
 work." 
 
 This is the veteran Mr. Jukes' own testimony : 
 " The whole parish is mourning. For your beloved 
 son, in a very special and unusual degree, endeared 
 himself to the congregation here as very few 
 curates do, while his life was a sermon to us all. 
 I feel as if for a while I had lost a son. Ever 
 since he left us he has been constantly on my 
 heart. Now he is gone before us, and, while 
 we cannot but grieve to have lost him, we cannot 
 but rejoice also for his sake ; for he is not really 
 lost to us, but will be surely serving us yet in 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 177 
 
 the unity of the Body of Christ. Christ in spirit 
 is not far from us, but yet serves us. Why should 
 not His members do the same, though in the 
 flesh we do not see them ? Not a day passes 
 that I do not think of your dear John. Why 
 should he not think of us ? I wonder whether 
 you are doing anything to have a stone put up 
 to mark the place where his mortal remains are 
 lying. Such memorials of the Gospel pioneers 
 who have taken the Gospel to Africa will, in a 
 few years, be really valuable, and a voice to the 
 natives, telling them at what cost the blessed 
 Gospel was brought to them. Dear John has 
 given his life for Christ, and I feel sure that his 
 death, even as his life, will be a blessing to many. 
 He left marks here which can never be effaced. 
 I cannot add more, I am suffering so much from 
 rheumatism that it is very difficult for me to write 
 a line ; but I cannot hear of the departure of 
 your dear son without trying to express my truest 
 and deepest sympathy with you and, his mother." 
 Mr. Morris, who, it will be remembered, suc- 
 ceeded Mr. Talbot Rice as vicar of All Saints', 
 Plumstead, writes : " Since Saturday night one has 
 been in a kind of dream. I find it so hard to realize 
 and to understand — my dear colleague — my first — 
 and your dear son gone ! Yesterday was a day to 
 
 12 
 
178 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 be remembered in All Saints'. All in church were 
 moved when I read your letter at the beginning 
 of the service. In the morning we sung ' My 
 God, my Father' and 'Who are these like stars 
 appearing ? ' and in the evening, ' What are these 
 in bright array ? ' * Why should I fear ? ' and 
 'Peace, perfect peace,' which fitted in with my 
 text, * The peace of God which passeth all under- 
 standing shall keep your hearts and minds.' His 
 life was a short one, his ministry quite brief, but 
 they told for good. His example of self-sacrifice 
 at the time of the typhoid epidemic will never 
 be forgotten here. He helped working men in 
 a quite singular degree. Oh, how little the plans 
 and projects we make seem when face to face 
 with a sorrow like this, and yet how real does 
 the spirit world become ! Dear Mr. Jukes, of 
 whom he who has gone before was so fond, feels 
 the blow greatly. All that sympathy and prayer 
 can give we do indeed give. Some day I hope 
 we shall see you. Always will you be welcomed 
 here for your own sake, and above all for the 
 sake of him who helped to make many of us 
 more Christlike, less selfish." 
 
 Mrs. Morris writes to his mother : " I wept 
 that we should see your dear son's face no more. 
 I always pictured him returning to tell us of his 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 179 
 
 work, and we receiving him so proudly as our own 
 peculiar missionary. We had sad services yester- 
 day, — though the note of triumph was also there ; 
 but many tears were shed, for he has many true 
 and loving friends at All Saints', who remember 
 gratefully his good work here. You and he 
 are much in our thoughts and prayers that the 
 God of all comfort may be with you. It must 
 be a great comfort to you even now, in the midst 
 of all your grief, to think of his noble, self-sacrifi- 
 cing life, and how he has now laid it down for 
 the sake of his Master." 
 
 The Rev. F. J. Chavasse writes : " The news 
 from Central Africa has almost stunned me, 
 and my heart, since I heard it, has been con- 
 stantly going out towards and up for you and 
 Mrs. Callis. We cannot understand, we can 
 only rest in the character of God, and wait. 
 He is too wise to make any mistake. He loves 
 too much to hurt needlessly. Some day He will 
 make all plain, and we shall praise Him for what 
 seems at present an insoluble mystery. God can 
 feel specially with you. He gave His Son to 
 die for men : you have given your son to lay down 
 his life for Africa. You have offered him your 
 best, and He cannot fail to comfort and bless 
 you. It is one of the great laws of His kingdom 
 
180 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 that we gain by losing, and your dear boy's home 
 call may bring untold blessings on you, your 
 family, God's people, the Church, and Africa. To- 
 day he holds Toro for Christ, and his zeal will 
 provoke many. Be sure that the Lord, Whom 
 sorrow attracts, will be near to comfort you and 
 yours. He is leading you along the path He 
 has trodden with His own feet. He Himself went 
 not up to joy, but first He suffered pain. He 
 entered not into His glory before He was cruci- 
 fied." 
 
 The Rev. E. Millar writes : " I was one of the 
 two last people, now in England, to see Callis in 
 Uganda. I was much struck by his calmness and 
 peacefulness. He seemed to be one of those who 
 take things quietly, knowing that God will bring 
 all things out as He sees best, and being content 
 to wait for it. I had hoped that the infant Church 
 in Toro would be much helped by his advice and 
 guiding ; now, perhaps, it will be helped by his 
 glorifying God by his death. He seemed to us 
 to be just the man for that most difficult post — 
 one who would not act rashly, but would well 
 weigh his words and actions. The work which 
 he had to do in Toro, in the face of much oppo- 
 sition from the Romanists, from the Government 
 officials, and from the heathen, was by no means 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 181 
 
 an easy one ; whilst the king Kasagama, although 
 anxious to serve God, seems in some points to 
 have been a little ill-advised in his actions. We 
 hoped that your son would prove a tower of 
 strength to him." 
 
 Mr. Fisher writes : " I do not remember ever 
 hearing anything which gave me a greater shock 
 than the sad telegram announcing the death 
 of your dear son, and our dear comrade and 
 fellow-worker. We all said at Mengo that he 
 was the man for Toro, strongest — spiritually, 
 mentally and physically — for that most important 
 post. I saw a letter from my old comrade Lloyd, 
 written since the arrival of your son in Toro, and 
 it was full of praise to God that such a man had 
 been sent him. Poor fellow! he will feel the 
 blow, and the dear natives also." 
 
 The Editor of the CM. Gleaner sends this 
 message : " I need not tell you how we all mourned 
 the loss of one so promising and so early removed. 
 He was a ' sower ' indeed ; but he had at least the 
 privilege of beginning to sow in real earnest. To 
 have been able to minister to the people in their 
 own tongue, and to have taken part in some of the 
 in -gathering — these are privileges which we may 
 be thankful were accorded to him, before he was 
 called to the higher ministry above." 
 
1 82 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 The Rev. J. W. Marshall, the father of one of 
 the Ku Cheng martyrs, writes : — 
 
 " H6tel Bristol, 
 
 "Aix-les-Bains, 
 
 "August igtk } 1897. 
 "My dear Mr. Callis — 
 
 " I have been feeling very much with you the last few 
 
 days, and should like to write and tell you so. We gave 
 
 our children to Christ for His work, as He saw fit to use 
 
 them. He has accepted our gift, and seen fit to call them 
 
 to rest after a very short period of work in the fields to 
 
 which they had dedicated their lives. We know that He 
 
 has done well, wisely, and lovingly for them, for us, and for 
 
 the work ; but still this knowledge does not stay or mitigate 
 
 our grief. The only mitigation I find— and it is a very 
 
 real one — is in the contemplation of the place of rest, and 
 
 the state of rest in which they are who are ' with Him? 
 
 Then I, for one, would not have her back. I doubt not, 
 
 dear friend, that you and your wife will find the same 
 
 alleviation in your sorrow. 
 
 " I feel most intensely for Miss Baker, and have tried 
 
 to write a few words of sympathy to her. 
 
 "Believe me, 
 
 "Your sincere friend, 
 
 "J. W. Marshall." 
 
 Canon Robinson, of Norwich, Master of St. 
 Catharine's College, writes : " I have heard with 
 the deepest regret of the death of your dear son, 
 which was mentioned in the Cathedral both by 
 Canon Collett and myself. It is a pathetic end to 
 a very promising life, just as the day of great 
 usefulness was dawning upon him, and as he was 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 183 
 
 looking forward to a happy future in union with 
 one in sympathy with him and his work. All 
 this is very mysterious. You and your dear wife 
 will feel that the natural order of life is reversed 
 as you — and not he — are left to mourn. But it 
 may be that the sorrow felt all around for him, 
 and the high opinion held of him and of the 
 work he was expected to do, may be some help 
 to you both in your trouble. God has laid His 
 hand heavily upon you in the past years, and 
 He must have some still greater work for which 
 He is preparing you. He has enabled you to 
 bear your great sorrows with faith and patience, 
 and I am convinced He will give you the strength 
 required for a trial which, at first, must seem to 
 you both to blot out all the sunshine from your 
 life. ... I feel that he is one of our members 
 who has done us honour in the best sense, and 
 whom the College will be thankful to have had 
 once on a time enrolled amongst them." 
 
 The Rev. Canon Ripley writes : " Your news 
 is quite overwhelming to us both. Mrs. Ripley 
 prayed t for him every day. The danger to life 
 seemed, too, so little in Uganda compared with 
 other Missionary spheres. But while nature will 
 mourn, what a blessed thought that he has already 
 finished his course with joy — so bright an ex- 
 
1 84 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 ample ! The first white man's grave in Toro, 
 taking possession (as old Mr. Krapf said about 
 his wife) for Christ ! " Mrs. Ripley adds : " Dear, 
 dear Friends, I can only weep ; it is too, too 
 touchingly affecting — to us disappointing." 
 
 The late venerable Rev. F. Fitch, of Cromer, 
 writes : " We have the unspeakable consolation 
 that our dear children, who so willingly gave 
 themselves to the Master's service on earth, are 
 now called to higher service ; and we a little 
 longer wait (it was but a very little longer with 
 the dear writer) 1 to join them in that blessed 
 home where God will wipe all tears from our 
 eyes." 
 
 Miss M. Fitch mentions that Bishop Oluwole 
 made the most touching allusion in Cromer Parish 
 Church to dear John before a crowded congre- 
 gation, and, appealing for helpers, quoted from 
 that beautifully compiled card which his father 
 had sent with the son's last words, speaking also 
 so feelingly of those who had gone from Nor- 
 folk. 
 
 The Rev. A. E. Barnes Lawrence sent the 
 accompanying sympathizing and appreciative 
 words : " My wife and I have been greatly dis- 
 
 1 Mr. Fitch died September 7th, within a month of writ- 
 ing the above, after fifty-three years' faithful ministry. 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 185 
 
 tressed to-day to learn that your dear son has 
 laid down his life in Uganda. I had a real regard 
 for him, coupled with a very high opinion of 
 his spiritual life and whole-hearted surrender to 
 Christ. His offer of service was not surprising, 
 for it was of a piece with his life. Dear fellow ! 
 he would not have had it otherwise, except for 
 the sake of those he loved. It marks the begin- 
 ning of an endless service, on which he has entered 
 sooner than we could have anticipated. His life, 
 short as it was, was by no means in vain. He 
 was influential for Christ among many (including 
 ourselves). He never thought he helped, and it 
 is good to think of his reward. For yourself, 
 you have given the Lord your best ; there is 
 nothing too precious for Hzm" 
 
 Canon Girdlestone writes : " The calamity is 
 great for the Mission body, and for those amongst 
 whom your dear boy was beginning to work ; 
 but, after all, it is greatest for the parents. When- 
 ever I read of John the Baptist's end, at the age of 
 about thirty-one or thirty-two, I feel that it is in 
 line with what has now happened. So, in the case 
 of Stephen, and, perhaps, of James, the brother of 
 John. The enemy seems to prevail against the 
 chosen of God. One thinks that God could have 
 intervened on behalf of James, as He did in the 
 
i86 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 case of Peter. God could certainly have refused 
 permission to Satan to touch your boy's life, as 
 He did in the case of Job. We are on the edge 
 of a great mystery here, which I think Scripture 
 does not solve. But there is another side to it. 
 The migration from this world to the spirit-world 
 no more removes your boy from the arms of 
 Christ than did his migration from England to 
 Toro. ' Lord both of the dead and of the living. 
 All live unto Him ! ' It is this which one clings 
 to with regard to the present, and there is a 
 glorious hope in the future." 
 
 The Rev. F. Storer Clark, Vicar of St. Peter's, 
 Greenwich, writes : " ' The Lord gave ; blessed be 
 the name of the Lord.' It was indeed a gracious 
 boon to have had such a son and brother ; yea, 
 still to have him, for ■ he being dead, yet speaketh.' 
 His life lives on in the hearts and lives, not 
 merely of fond relatives and attached friends, 
 but also at Plumstead, Uganda, and elsewhere. 
 Thankfulness for the past is a help for the rent 
 soul so keenly feeling the gap to add, ' The Lord 
 hath taken away ; blessed be the name of the 
 Lord.' . . . There are and will be happy 
 reunions, as well as grievous partings." 
 
 Mr. H. W. Young, of Blackheath, under whose 
 roof John stayed at the time of his Ordination 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 187 
 
 to the priesthood, writes : " From what we then 
 saw of him, I feel sure that it is as he would 
 wish — to close his life in active service — and he 
 has been early taken to his reward." 
 
 The Rev. E. Symonds, John's brother-in-law, 
 whose happy intercourse with him at Kes- 
 wick has already been recorded, sends these 
 words of cheer to the bereaved mother : " The 
 contents of Mr. Lloyd's letter give us a grand 
 triumph of faith, and, with that thought upper- 
 most, the sadness cannot find place. It is the 
 victor's end, yea the beginning of life. 'When 
 the fruit is ripe, immediately! etc. Oh! that we 
 were ripe, and lived, as he did, more as citizens 
 of heaven, and less as those of earth. Mr. Head 
 (then Vicar of Christ Church, Hampstead) has 
 brought us a circular letter from Dr. Cook, in 
 which he says : ' He was eminently a choice 
 spirit, and we all got much attached to him 
 on the march up country. Will you send some 
 one from Christ Church to fill up the gap ? ' 
 They have got a new hospital at Mengo ; Dr. 
 Cook appeals for those who will support a bed. 
 Two of the twelve have been taken — £4 a year. 
 Could we not take up one in memory of one so 
 dear? I will, with many, gladly find help." 
 This admirable suggestion was thankfully taken 
 
1 88 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 up at once. In a letter dated September 15th, 
 Dr. A. H. Cook — brother of Dr. Cook at Mengo 
 — writes to John's father : " Permit me to thank 
 you and Mrs. Callis most warmly, on my brother's 
 behalf, for your kind offer to endow a Bed in 
 my brother's hospital in Mengo in memory of 
 your son. Will you also convey my thanks to the 
 Rev. E. Symonds and his wife for their kind 
 thought? I will write by the next mail to in- 
 form my brother of your generous gift, and of 
 your wish that the Bed should be named in 
 memory of your son, and I am sure his wishes 
 will be identical with ours in this matter. Per- 
 sonally I do not think any one could choose a 
 more fitting memorial of your son's noble mis- 
 sionary efforts than in endowing a Bed in his 
 name." 
 
 We add a few words taken from a letter of 
 Elizabeth Farrow, Parish Nurse of All Saints' : 
 " I know there will be much sorrow in the parish 
 at these sad tidings. I trust it may awaken 
 some to remember the faithful warning words 
 he spoke to them, and to them may his voice 
 still speak ! I think of him in his love for 
 prayer, and the longing, yearning pleading for 
 more holiness of life. I believe there will be 
 much consolation to you and all his loved ones 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 189 
 
 to know God appointed that he should have a 
 loving Christian helper by him all through his 
 illness, one of whom the Master will say, ' I was 
 sick and ye visited ME,' and who will ' in no wise 
 lose his reward.' I do thank God Mr. Lloyd 
 was with him. May many be found who will 
 respond to the appeal which comes from the 
 outstretched hands of the hungering and thirsting 
 people in Toro, and go over and take up the 
 work of him who has had the call, ' Come up 
 higher.' . . . No wonder he left the earth 
 singing — for he loved singing." 
 
 From a Missionary in Manitoba, who knew dear 
 John at Cambridge and worked in Mission work 
 with him, there came a little card with these words: 
 " Let this card bear to you the assurance of true 
 sympathy from one who commends you in your 
 sorrow to the care of the Infinite Father, Who 
 fain would be your strength and comfort now, 
 and at the last wipe away all tears ! " 
 
 In concluding this Memoir there seem to be 
 no words more appropriate than those brief but 
 pregnant ones of the Apostle St. Paul in 1 Cor. 
 xv. 10 : " Not I, but the grace of God which was 
 with me." It is most deeply interesting to mark 
 the operation of that Divine grace in the thoughts, 
 and the life-work of our dear departed brother. 
 
1 9 o JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 \ 
 
 We see how it transformed a naturally retiring, 
 somewhat reserved character into one aglow with 
 love and zeal, full of holy resolution, power, and 
 intense earnestness. We see it appointing and 
 over-ruling inward struggles and conflicts and 
 doubts to the making of a seasoned soldier of 
 the Cross. We see how it wrought in him that 
 profound humility which scarcely ever permits 
 him in his letters to speak of himself. We see 
 how it made him a man of one aim — to preach 
 and live and glorify Christ. This Memoir is not 
 written for the sake of exalting the man or his 
 work, but of exalting the Holy Spirit of Christ, 
 Who dwelt and worked in him. It is hardly 
 possible for an earnest-minded reader to avoid 
 asking himself the question : " Might / not, 
 through the same grace, live a more devoted, 
 consecrated, useful, Christ-like life ? Might I not 
 realize more of the joy of fellowship and ser- 
 vice ? " Nay, more, perhaps a further question : 
 " May / not fill his place in the Mission field ? 
 1 Lord, here am I ; send me ! ' " 
 
 WANTED ! 
 
 A sower has fallen in the field, 
 Where his work had but just begun ; 
 It seemed to us but the sunrise to him, 
 When we heard that his work was done. 
 But who will take up the sowing now, 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 191 
 
 To scatter the good living seed, 
 
 And carefully tend through its growing time, 
 
 And root up the noxious weed? 
 
 A reaper has laid his sickle down, 
 
 The Master has called him away ; 
 
 We thought he had many hours to toil, 
 
 Night came to him, whilst it was day ! 
 
 And who will take up the sickle now 
 
 And reap in that white harvest field, 
 
 And gather the golden grain for Him, 
 
 Whose is the abundant yield? 
 
 A voice is stilled, so lately heard 
 
 Proclaiming the Gospel's call, 
 
 Telling so joyfully Heaven's good news, 
 
 Of a Saviour who died for all ! 
 
 Who will take up the herald's note 
 
 And preach God's goodwill towards men, 
 
 And thus will help to prepare the way 
 
 For that Saviour's coming again? 
 
 "'Tis true," said the worker lately gone, 
 
 That "Dark Africa waiteth still." 
 
 Many hands are there stretched out to God. 
 
 Who will go for the Lord? Who will? 
 
 Felixstowe, J. C. 
 
 August, 1897. 
 
 Mr. Morris says in the All Saints' Magazine: 
 " What more glorious end can there be to a Chris- 
 tian's earthly life than the laying it down for the 
 Master's sake in the Master's cause ? Will not the 
 thought of our dear friend — his life — his death — 
 help to prevent us giving way to self, or indolence, 
 or spiritual apathy? Very striking now, in the 
 light of what has happened, is it to read the 
 
192 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 words of his farewell text (St. John xii. 24). God 
 grant that his death may not deter others from 
 going to the Mission-field, and from facing danger, 
 but rather be to them a more direct call than 
 they have had before. The soldier of the Queen 
 does not fear danger because a comrade falls in 
 battle. Shall the soldier of the Cross be less 
 loyal or less true ? " 
 
 Mr. A. 13. Fisher, in a powerful address at the 
 All Saints' Gleaners' Union, mentioned that at his 
 meeting with his dear departed brother at Mengo, 
 he gave him this charge : " Go to the people at 
 Plumstead and tell them all that has been done 
 for Toro." Mr. Fisher did so in these words. 
 
 " Two years ago the King of Toro wondered 
 what had come to Uganda people, saying at a 
 council of his chiefs that they had not been lately 
 to raid their cattle, burn their villages, and carry 
 off their boys and girls. A Mission was sent to 
 Uganda begging for two teachers. The Native 
 Church Council met them, four men were chosen, 
 prayed for, and sent to Toro. Kasagama, King 
 of Toro, was not converted at that time ; but 
 lately, through the indiscretion of a European 
 official, was unjustly imprisoned. On being re- 
 leased he went to Uganda and laid his case 
 before a commission, who censured the official 
 
THE EARLY HOME CALL 193 
 
 and cleared the king; this was followed by his 
 conversion, and he was baptized in Mengo. There 
 is now a church in Toro holding 1,000 people. 
 The first two converts in Toro were sent to the 
 1 Mountains of the Moon ' to itinerate among 
 the people there, who had been driven from Toro 
 by Kasagama's great-grandfather. The king's 
 grandmother, seventy years of age, learned to 
 read ; to use her own words, ' My delight is to 
 speak to Jesus.' So great is the spirit of giving 
 among the people that they bring oxen, sheep, 
 and goats, and in the case of children sweets 
 (sugar-cane) for the collection. The speaker 
 wished ' more at home would catch this spirit.' 
 When we think of all this and realize that, fifteen 
 short months ago, little children were killed and 
 their blood dedicated to the devil, that, when a 
 child had a pain it was burned to the bone and 
 the smoke dedicated in like manner, that teeth 
 were prized out with rough instruments, that it 
 was no uncommon thing for women servants who 
 had displeased their masters to be tied to a tree 
 and their eyes taken out, and that, as a result of 
 all this, there is hardly a perfectly formed man 
 or woman in Toro, surely our hearts should be 
 lifted up to God in thankfulness for the mighty 
 work He has permitted His servants to do. Let 
 
 13 
 
194 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS 
 
 us pray for the king (but twenty-two years of 
 age) that he may be kept full of the Spirit of 
 God, and let us pray for ourselves that we may 
 not be behindhand in Christian virtue and the 
 love of giving to help on this good work." 
 
 In the late Indian Frontier War, the Pass of 
 Dargai was gallantly carried by our troops. But, 
 owing to some misunderstanding, it was almost 
 immediately afterwards evacuated. Consequently 
 the enemy re-occupied it, and all the hard and 
 dangerous work had to be done over again. It 
 had to be re-captured at the cost of many pre- 
 cious lives. Let not this be the case with Toro ! 
 It is now held for Christ by a small number of 
 devoted souls. Our dear departed brother in his 
 life and in his death claimed it for Christ. Let 
 no negligence, or coldness, or want of self-sacrific- 
 ing zeal on the part of Christians at home give 
 the enemy of souls a chance of re-occupying it, 
 so that the work of winning it for Christ should 
 have to be begun all over again. Now is the 
 time for action. All is ready. "Let us go up 
 at once and possess the land. . . . We are 
 well able. . . . The Lord is with us." 
 
i95 
 [dftemorlal Cart)] 
 
 In Loving and Thankful Memory of 
 
 JOHN SAMUEL CALLIS, 
 
 LATE C.M.S. MISSIONARY. 
 
 B.A. St. Catharine's Coll., Cambridge ; Wyclifife 
 Hall, Oxford ; for three years Curate of All 
 Saints', Woolwich ; sailed from England as one 
 of the Uganda Party, Sept. 3rd, 1896 ; arrived at 
 his station in Toro, Central Africa, March 13th; 
 called home from the field by the Lord of the 
 harvest, April 24th, 1897. 
 
 " Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, 
 
 it abide th alone j but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit P 
 
 — John xii. 24. 
 
 Text of Farewell Sermon. 
 
 "The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are 
 few : pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He 
 will send forth labourers into His harvest." — Matt. ix. 
 
 37, 38. 
 
 " He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit 
 unto life eternal : that both he that soweth, and he that 
 reapeth, may rejoice together." — John iv. 36. 
 
 Deep waters crossed life's pathway, 
 The hedge of thorns was sharp ; 
 Now these lie all behind me — 
 Oh for a well-tuned harp ; 
 Oh to join Hal-le-lu-jah 
 With yon triumphant band, 
 Who sing where glory dwelleth 
 In Immanuel's land. 
 
 " It is true, 'Africa is waiting'; there is a real stretch- 
 ing out of the hands unto God." 
 
 Letter, Toro, March 15th, 1897. 
 
196 
 
 LIGHT AFTER DARKNESS. 
 
 Thy thoughts, O God, are deep ; 
 
 Deep as the unfathomed sea ; 
 But they are thoughts of peace and love, 
 
 Whate'er they seem to be. 
 
 The lightning rends the oak ; 
 
 The tempests rage and swell ; 
 The earthquake cleaves the mighty rocks ; 
 
 The fire devours, as well. 
 
 Our fairest hopes and joys 
 
 Wither like Jonah's gourd. 
 Our choicest treasures here on earth 
 
 All vanish at Thy word. 
 
 Thou givest at Thy will, 
 
 At Thy will tak'st away ; 
 And those to whom our hearts most cling 
 
 But briefly with us stay. 
 
 All this seems strange and dark, 
 
 Wherefore f We cannnot tell. 
 But this we know, Thy Word says so, 
 
 " He doeth all things well." 
 
 The cloud which is so dark, 
 
 And turns our day to night, 
 When from the other side we view, 
 
 Will shine in God's own light. 
 
 Thy glorious kingdom come, 
 
 Thy name, Lord, hallowed be, 
 And Thy goodwill towards man be done 
 To all eternity. 
 
 J. C. 
 Felixstowe, 
 
 August, 1897. 
 

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 ' ife- i J il 
 
 ® 
 
 ® 
 ® 
 
 ^:®:®:®:®:®:®:(§):®:®:®:(§):®:(i):(i(^ 
 
 In beloved memory of 
 
 Rev Johm SHMmCainsM 
 
 WHO LABOURED HERE FROM 1893 TO 1896 
 AND DIED IN ToRQ HFRICffi,]SPRIL24? 1891 
 
 "We preach nor ourselves, 
 but Christ Jesus the Lord." 
 
 j>:®:®:®:®:®:®:®:®:®:®:®:®:®:<3 
 
 BRASS ERECTED IN MISSION HALL, ALL SAINTS , 
 PLUMSTEAD. 
 
A. M. MACKAY 
 
 Pioneer Missionary of the Church Missionary 
 
 Society to Uganda 
 
 By HIS SISTER 
 
 Fifteenth Thousand. Crown 8vo, cloth, *js. 6d. 
 
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